The Phoenix Suns recorded the second-best record in the NBA this season and aren’t even favored to win a first-round playoff series.
That’s the predicament when you draw the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers, who begin their pursuit of another title when they visit the Suns in Sunday’s opener of the seven-game Western Conference series.
The seventh-seeded Lakers dealt with injuries to stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis over the second half of the season, but both players report they are fine entering this series.
That has helped fuel the popular belief that Los Angeles (42-30 regular season) is the better team than the Suns (51-21) despite needing a play-in victory ove…
Keep on reading: Suns seek a win—and respect—against Lakers in Game 1