2021 NBA Playoffs: West First Round – (2) Phoenix Suns vs (7) Los Angeles Lakers
Schedule and Results
Game | Away | Home | Date | Time | TV | Results |
Game 1: |  |  | 5/23/21 | 3:30 PM EST | ABC | Lakers - 90 |
Game 2: | | | 5/25/21 | 10:00 PM EST | TNT | Lakers - 109 |
Game 3: | | | 5/27/21 | 10:00 PM EST | TNT | Suns - 95 |
Game 4: | | | 5/30/21 | 3:30 PM EST | ABC | Suns - 100 |
Game 5: | | | 6/1/21 | 10:00 PM ET | TNT | Lakers - 85 |
Game 6: | | | 6/3/21 | 10:30 PM ET | TNT | Suns - 113 |
Game 5 Notes:
- Anthony Davis – listed as a game-time decision per Shams Charania.
Where should the money go?
West First Round – (2) Phoenix Suns vs (7) Los Angeles Lakers – Series preview
(2) Phoenix Suns
For the first time ever LeBron James will Chris Paul in a playoffs series. The strange part of this is that Suns perhaps are going to be the underdogs as a higher seed. It always seems like Paul is on the bad end of the stick in terms of the path to a championship. The last time he was remotely close was in 2017-2018 for the Houston Rockets, however, sat out Game 6 and 7 against the Warriors to watch his team lose in the Western Conference Finals.
Next, the Suns are also a team that deserves its respect and admiration for competing this season. Securing the 2nd seed in the Western Conference isn’t always as easy for the entire season. Devin Booker is arguably the Suns best player averaging 25.6 points per game on 48-percent shooting.
What the Suns would have to do to complete a successful series is find a way to stabilize Anthony Davis. Quite frankly their roster says DeAndre Ayton, Frank Kaminsky, and Dario Šarić? This is their biggest disadvantage coming into the series and should be highlighted as to why they’re underdogs.
(7) Los Angeles Lakers
Bring on the doubt, questioning Lebron’s ankle, and Anthony Davis’ health. That’s what came out of the 2021 Play-in Tournament game from last week Wednesday against the Warriors. It was a Lebron James three-point field goal that sealed the deal on the 7th seed for the Lakers. In hindsight, the Warriors aren’t even headed to the Playoffs after losing Game 6 of the Play-in Tournament.
This Los Angeles team may have a few moments of rust, growing pains, or whatever you wanted to call them. This is a team and a series that the regular season will hold no bearing during the playoffs. The Warriors once led the Lakers by 13 in the Play-in Game 4 but the 1st and 2nd half of the game was different for the Lakers. Los Angeles shot 33-percent from the field in the first half and 49-percent in the second half.
Let’s face it, any team expecting back a healthy James and Davis should be heavily favored in the Western Conference. Are the Lakers going to sweep? Probably not. However, this is a better series for them instead of losing the Play-in games and seeing Utah in the first round.
Top players to watch
Chris Paul: 2020-2021 season
- 16.4 PPG
- 4.5 RPG
- 8.9 APG
LeBron James: 2020-2021 season
- 25.0 PPG
- 7.7 RPG
- 7.8 APG
Podcasts
