- Suns took a 1-0 lead with a 120-114 win over the Clips in Game 1.
- Los Angeles Clippers fought well, but they didn’t have enough versatile offense.
- Suns are still without Chris Paul, who is out indefinitely due to a COVID-19 infection.
Clippers vs. Suns Schedule
- Where: Phoenix Suns Arena, Phoenix, Arizona
- When: Tuesday, June 23, 9pm ET
- How to Watch: ESPN
Clippers vs. Suns Odds and Lines
| Team | Spread | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Clippers | +6 | 224 |
| Suns | -6 | 224 |
LAC Needs More Firepower
If you want to win the conference in the NBA, you need to have more than three players with a double-digit number of points. Clippers learned that at first hand last night in Arizona, once they lost to Phoenix, 120-114.
Paul George was phenomenal with 34 points, seven threes, five assists, and four boards. Reggie Jackson had 24 points, six rebounds, and just four assists, while DeMarcus Cousins added 11 off the bench, most of them in the first period. All other players weren’t in the 10+ zone, which was a massive problem for Tyronn Lue.
As the game progressed, George and Jackson were overloaded, and that eventually took a toll on their efficiency in the key moments. Lue has to wake up some of his guys, Morris, Batum, Mann. Though, we need to say that losing the first game in the series became a sort of a tradition for the Clippers in these playoffs.
D-Book Taking Over
Arguably the best shooter in the league, Devin Booker, showed last night that he isn’t just a shoot-first guard, as many believe. He is way more than that. Booker scored 40 points, had 13 boards and 11 assists, becoming one of few players with 40+point TDs in the playoffs.
Booker took over when things became intense, pouring basket after basket before eventually making a difference in the final period and creating the gap between the Suns and their rivals from the City of Angels.
Though, unlike George and Jackson, he had more teammates ready to jump in and help. Deandre Ayton scored 20 points, Mikal Bridges 14, Jae Crowder 23, while Cam Johnson added 11. So even without Chris Paul, the Suns can compete at the highest possible level.
Clippers vs. Suns Head to Head
The Clippers posted two wins over the Suns during the regular part of the season, losing one as well. The first game in Phoenix ended 1120-107 for the Clips, the same as the second one, in Staples, 113-103. Phoenix won the only regular-season match at home, 109-101.
Clippers vs. Suns Prediction and Pick
The spread on the Clippers is +6, the same as in Game 1. Now, those who watched the game saw that these two sides were petty even up until some point and that a few clumsy mistakes cost the guests a lot. We believe that such errors won’t happen again and that Tyronn Lue already has a plan on how to eliminate them and make his team better. After all, we saw his talent to adjust the tactics after a game or two during the series. Do know that Phoenix’s win came solely because of Booker and nothing else, and that forces us to back up the Clippers with the spread on Tuesday.
Pick: Clippers +6
