Lakers vs Suns Prediction & Preview: Luka Doncic, Devin Booker Clash as Red‑Hot Los Angeles Seeks 8th Straight Win in Western Conference Showdown

The Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns renew their Western Conference rivalry tonight in Los Angeles, with the Lakers putting a blistering seven-game win streak on the line. At 15-4, Los Angeles sits near the top of the conference, while Phoenix, 12-9, is trying to stop a brief skid and reassert itself in the playoff race.

All eyes are on Luka Doncic, who has transformed the Lakers into one of the league’s most efficient offenses. The newly minted NBA Player of the Week is averaging over 35 points per game and shooting better than 47% from the field, carrying L.A. through its hot start and into the national spotlight ahead of this matchup.

Los Angeles enters the night averaging nearly 120 points per game and shooting a league-leading 51.3% from the floor, numbers that will challenge a Suns defense allowing opponents to hit 47% of their shots. The Lakers are 12-3 against Western Conference teams and have built a reputation for jumping on opponents early, then letting Doncic close games late.

The Suns counter with their own star power, led by Devin Booker, who is scoring more than 25 points per night and remains the engine of Phoenix’s attack. Phoenix is averaging 116.7 points per game and has generally outscored opponents this season, but it arrives in L.A. on a two-game slide and with multiple rotation questions because of injuries.

Both teams are navigating notable absences. The Lakers have been managing injuries to key contributors such as LeBron James, Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart, while the Suns are dealing with frontcourt and wing depth issues. That places even more pressure on the star guards — Doncic for L.A. and Booker for Phoenix — to dictate tempo and shot quality from the opening tip.

Beyond the standings, tonight’s game adds another chapter to the long-running Lakers–Suns rivalry, a series that has swung through eras from Magic vs. KJ to Kobe vs. Nash and now Doncic vs. Booker. With a national audience tuned in and both franchises expecting deep postseason runs, this early-December showdown feels like a measuring stick — and possibly a preview of the matchups that could define the Western Conference next spring.