The Los Angeles Lakers aim to push their season-best winning streak to eight games on Monday night, when they host the Phoenix Suns at Crypto.com Arena.
The Lakers (15–4, 2nd Western Conference) are off to a much better start than many would have anticipated, with star guard Luka Doncic making an early case for MVP in his first full season wearing Purple and Gold. They’ll have their work cut out for them on Monday night, entering the contest on the second leg of a back-to-back against a tough Suns squad that has won nine of their last 13 games.
Tipoff is set for 10 p.m. ET. Los Angeles enters as a 4.5-point home favorite, while Phoenix sits as a +170 underdog. The game’s total is set at 235.5 points.
Ahead of Monday night’s contest, here’s my favorite Luka Doncic prop bet on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Best Luka Doncic prop bet for Suns vs. Lakers
Best Bet: Luka Doncic 10+ Assists (+134)
It might have taken some time for the shock of his trade to fully wear off, but Doncic has officially settled into his new Hollywood home. The 26-year-old Slovenian is laying the groundwork for a career-best season, averaging an NBA-leading 35.1 points with 9.2 assists and 8.7 rebounds per game.
Perhaps the most compelling aspect of this Lakers squad compared to years past is that they have depth — a lot of it. LA boasts a top-five offense in the NBA and leads the league in field-goal percentage. At the center of it all is Doncic, a master playmaker who can pile up assists by deferring to the extensive arsenal of offensive weapons at his disposal.
To his right, Austin Reaves is closing in on his first All-Star nod with just under 30 points a night. To his left, LeBron James has reinvented himself as an off-ball menace as he approaches his 41st birthday. Down low, former first overall pick Deandre Ayton provides a seven-foot lob threat, and spacing the corner is Rui Hachimura, who’s shooting a career-high 46.1% from deep.
While Phoenix features a formidable defense that sits just outside the top-ten in opponent assists per game, Doncic is the rare type of playmaker that can carve up any type of coverage thrown his way. On Friday night, he faced off against his former team, the Dallas Mavericks, who sit inside the NBA’s top-five in defensive rating. Not only did Doncic drop 35 points — he also peppered his teammates with 11 assists as Reaves led the way with a 38-piece.
Doncic, who ranks fourth in the NBA in assists per game, has dished out 10 or more dimes in seven games this season. Don’t be surprised when he makes it eight on Monday night.
