Phoenix Suns vs. LA Lakers: TV Schedule, Live Stream, Spread Info and More

An NBA Pacific Division clash will take place on Friday when the Phoenix Suns (12-18) travel north to take on the Los Angeles Lakers (17-12).

This will also be the first of a back-to-back series between the two teams, as they will also square off on Sunday in Phoenix. 

Phoenix is in fourth place in the Pacific and trail the Trail Blazers by four games for the No. 8 spot in the conference. The Lakers are second in the division, two games behind the Los Angeles Clippers and currently hold the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference. 

Where: Staples Center, Los Angeles, California. 

When: Friday, Feb. 17 at 10:30 p.m. EST

Watch

ESPN nationally. Also streamed live at ESPN3. 

FSAZ HD in Phoenix

FS West in Los Angeles.

Listen

620 KTAR (English) and 1400 KSUN (Spanish) in Phoenix

710 ESPN (English) and 1330 ESPN Deportes (Spanish) in Los Angeles

Betting Line

Lakers (-8.5), according to Betonline.

In Los Angeles, this is a good bet. The Suns don't have the overall balance to compete with the Lakers and will struggle to contain even one of Los Angeles' top three players (Kobe Bryant, Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol). 

Key Injuries

Per USA Today.

The Suns have no injuries to report

Lakers' F Derrick Caracter is out. 

What They're Saying

Paola Boivin of the Arizona Republic wrote that the Suns management is saying that there is a plan in place for the franchise, although he seemed skeptical. 

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They've crunched the numbers, scrutinized the results. Despite the roller-coaster ride of this season's group, management wants you to know it has a vision for the future.

Let's hope that's true, because it hasn't done a great job communicating its plan. Lance Blanks might be the least-visible general manager in the NBA, and owner Robert Sarver, too, has been heard from less this season. Reports of behind-the-scenes frustration have leaked, but that's not uncommon in the professional ranks, especially with executives Blanks and Lon Babby in roles they never held before being hired in 2010.

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Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times was critical of the Lakers, saying that despite a respectable 17-12 record, there is very little about this team that's interesting. 

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How could they go from one of the most exciting shows in sports to the third-most exciting team in their own building? One year ago, they were fighting for a third consecutive NBA championship. On Tuesday at tipoff, there were Staples Center rows that contained all of three people.

How could the Buss family let this happen? The buzz is off, and the big-money fans who pay the bills are either showing up late or not at all. The Lakers had not played a game here in two full weeks, yet when they took the court against the Hawks, even chunks of courtside seats were empty, including those belonging to Jack and Denzel.

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Most Important Player to Watch

Suns' PG Steve Nash. 

This is the Suns major matchup advantage, as the Lakers have next to no presence at point guard. If Nash gets out and runs and has a strong shot, the Suns have a real chance at an upset. If not, this will be a blowout. 

Key Matchup

Channing Frye vs. Pau Gasol. 

Gasol is averaging nearly 17 points a game while Frye is at nine. Frye will have to not only elevate his own average, but significantly drop Gasol's. The Suns need to get the better of this matchup.

Prediction: Lakers 102, Suns 89

The Suns need way too much to work in their favor to even come close to pulling an upset in Los Angeles. That is simply not going to happen. The Lakers will take this one convincingly. 

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