Los Angeles Clippers vs Phoenix Suns: Clippers are in for a headache here

NBA Betting is a tougher affair than it looks. Analysis, reading team profiles, peeking at odds, or many more practices can all fail in the face of the unpredictability that seeps in the long NBA season. In another tricky betting affair, the Los Angeles Clippers host the Phoenix Suns, who have the best record in the league with just four losses and an impressive 21 wins. For the discussion about “Total”, go to the “Expert Betting Tips” section.

Don’t forget…: Don’t forget the Phoenix Suns were the finalists last season and took the Bucks to six games. They crushed the Lakers in the last Playoffs too plus beat this Clippers team in the Western Conference Finals. The Clippers are built to win, largely motoring along their guards in Devin Booker and Chris Paul. But now, imagine that the team has won four out of its last five games without Booker. What does it say? Incredible depth and phenomenal team defense! With Paul handing over 10-15 assists a game, the team gets quality looks and the opposition’s defense gets in disarray. The Suns did this last season too and they have looked even better this season.

Why Suns succeed: See, even without Booker, the guard quartet of Shamet, Payne, Paul, and Cameron can plug in for 40-50 points combined on a regular basis. At wing, Jae Crowder and Mikal Bridges can chip in with 25-30, while when Ayton is healthy, he gets around 18-24 points too. The Suns have a balanced scoring lineup with perimeter shooters flanking from outside, Ayton occupying the middle, and Paul doing damage from perimeter and guiding his teammates for easy shots. Imagine when Ayton is down, his back-up JaVale McGee can dip in 15+ points and 10+ rebounds just like that! That is why the team has seen a reduction of 3-5 points on average since top-scorer Booker has gone down. Suns can still score in the 107-120 points range and also fight it out at the defensive end.

Clippers issues: Yes, Clippers have won three in a row, and that too without Paul George but yes, previous three opponents have nowhere near the quality of the Suns. This is a tough one for the Clippers for many reasons. Paul George will most likely end up not playing here and then the scoring load falls on Reggie Jackson. This is where role players in Luke Kennard, Terance Mann, Ivica Zubac, Marcus Morris, Brandon Boston, Eric Bledsoe, and Isaiah Hartenstein will have to step up in, Lately, Kennard has been scoring 12+ points quite a lot while Mann needs to pick the scoring range to at least 11-15 points. Morris has scored 20+ thrice this month and he will be desperate to chip in with that much again. Can Clippers build a character of a deep team if Paul George ends up missing this one?

Points Range: Suns are comfortable with low-scorers, high-scorers, mid-level scorers, whatever you throw at this unhinged unit. They don’t get sucked up into another team’s game plan and have huge clarity over what they need to accomplish. I think the Points Range here can be somewhere between 213-226. Let us see if the Clippers step up their defense here.

Prediction: Of course, the team that has won around 85% of its games will be favored in most battles but Clippers have shown that they have a lot of fight in them without two of their superstars in Paul George and Kawhi Leonard. I give 58% chance to Suns and 42% to the Clippers. I believe the scoreline to be something like 110:105.

• Total Points: Over 212.5 for 1.90;
• Spread: PHX Suns -3.5 for 1.90;
• European Handicap: 2:0 W2 for 1.82.