LeBron James is getting closer to a return, but he’s not quite ready yet. The Lakers star is currently sidelined due to a left groin strain sustained during a game against the Celtics on March 8. The injury occurred in the fourth quarter before James exited the game with 6:44 remaining and did not return for the remainder of the contest.

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James has missed the franchise's last three games due to a groin strain suffered against the Boston Celtics on March 8, and he's now expected to miss another week as he recovers from the injury,

Suns: Nick Richards (right ankle sprain) is probable. Monte Morris (low back injury management) is questionable. Grayson Allen (left foot strain) is out.

The Suns travel to Los Angeles on Sunday for a showdown with Luka Doncic and the Lakers, who are currently sitting fourth in the Western Conference. See how you can watch the game for free without cable.

The Suns got the lead down to single digits in the third, and got it down to eight after a triple by Royce O’Neale (10 points) after an 8-0 run through 7:04. After the Lakers pushed the lead back to 16, the Suns had another 7-0 surge that cut the Lakers' lead to nine at 1:40. The Suns continue to struggle on just 19.4% from the perimeter.

The Los Angeles Lakers will continue their road trip with a showdown with the Denver Nuggets. It will be a possible playoff preview at Ball Arena as we continue our NBA odds series while making a Lakers-Nuggets prediction and pick.

Analyzing Sunday’s Phoenix Suns at Los Angeles Lakers odds and lines, with NBA expert picks, predictions and best bets.

SportsLine's model simulated Phoenix Suns vs. Los Angeles Lakers 10,000 times and revealed its NBA picks for Sunday