NBA Weekly Preview - Best in the East and West Collide

NBA Preview: Suns vs. Lakers on Thursday Highlight’s This Week

The two best teams in the Western Conference so far in the 2009-2010 NBA Season take to the court on Thursday in a seriously important matchup to basketball betting fans.

Think it’s too early to talk about important matchups in the NBA? Never!

Whichever team, the Phoenix Suns or Lakers, steps it up on Thursday is going to set the tone for the rest of the NBA Season. In other words, if the Suns can effectively get to L.A., and no team so far in 2009 has appeared to be able to, then the Suns would no doubt pose the biggest threat to the Lakers’ reign in the west.

Just this past Monday, the rejuvenated Steve Nash looked to be back to his MVP form of a few years ago, putting up 21 points and 20 assists in a 119 to 115 Suns victory over Philadelphia on the road. Phoenix has played 5 straight games on the road. They’ve gone 4 and 1 in those games with their lone loss coming to the Orlando Magic 122 to 100.

In that streak, the Suns have beaten the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics, two of the best team in the Eastern Conference so far this season.

Can the Suns do the same to the Los Angeles Lakers this Thursday? L.A. has won five games in a row but needed overtime twice in order to do it. They needed OT in order to take down the Oklahoma City Thunder on Nov. 3rd. On Nov. 4th, the Lakers needed OT to beat the Houston Rockets.

The Lakers are 2 and 5 ATS so far this season. Phoenix is 5 and 3 ATS. L.A. will be a big favorite in this game, 7 ½ to 8 ½ points is what I’m guessing, but should be considered as a tenuous wager at best.

As far as Pacific Division status is concerned, this Thursday game is already an important one even though we’re only in November.

Wednesday’s Cleveland vs. Orlando Game is the Other Game to Watch

The Orlando Magic.

Cleveland appeared set to win their first NBA Championship in history last season but ran into, literally, Dwight Howard and the Magic in the Eastern Conference Finals. Who can forget the sour grapes that LeBron James offered to his buddy Howard and the Magic after the Cavs lost the series?

Orlando hosts the Cavs this Wednesday night in a game that, like the Suns and Lakers in the west, could go a long way in determining exactly how much Shaq adds to the Cavs’ chances of dethroning the Magic atop the east.

If Shaq can effectively take Howard out of the game, then the Cavs will be in good shape heading into the playoffs, that is if Shaq even makes it that far on his tiring knees. That’s the key because Orlando’s big free agent pick-up, Vince Carter, won’t do much against James and the Cavs stellar perimeter defense.

This is yet another game to watch. Expect the line to be a decent one, Orlando by 3 ½ to 4 ½, and don’t be disappointed if Shaq, LeBron and the Cavs lose this game. The key is to see whether or not Shaq can counter Howard.