The Clippers take a trip to the desert to face the Suns on Thursday
Los Angeles won their first meeting of the season against Phoenix in December
Find the odds, preview, and prediction below
The Los Angeles Clippers hit the road on Thursday to face Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns in a divisional matchup. Tip-off is scheduled for 10pm ET at the Footprint Center.
LA is coming off a blowout loss at home to the Minnesota Timberwolves and continues to struggle without Paul George, going just 3-7 in their last 10 games.
As for the Suns, they took down the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday behind a 33-point performance from Booker.
Clippers vs Suns Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Clippers | +11.5 (-110) | OFF | Ov 219 (-110) |
| Phoenix Suns | -11.5 (-110) | OFF | Un 219 (-110) |
Odds as of January 5th at DraftKings.
Phoenix is an 11.5-point home favorite and has collected two consecutive victories ATS. The Clippers meanwhile, are 6-5 this season as an ATS underdog.
Clips Struggling Without PG
If it wasn’t bad enough that Kawhi Leonard is likely missing the entire 2021/22 campaign, PG could be out for the foreseeable future as well. He has a torn ligament in his elbow and although the team is expected to re-evaluate him later this month, it’s a rather serious injury which means George could potentially be sidelined for even longer.
Since the seven-time All-Star went on the shelf, the Clippers have won just two of four games.
Aside from an impressive victory against the Nets on New Year’s Day, it’s been a struggle for Ty Lue’s squad lately and Monday’s meeting with Minnesota was no exception.
LA’s offense was extremely ineffective, with their backcourt of Eric Bledsoe and Reggie Jackson combining for only six points. Serge Ibaka led the way with 17 but past that, the next highest-scorer in the first unit was Marcus Morris, who dropped 12 points.
The Clippers were bullied inside and had a very hard time holding onto the basketball, committing a dismal 20 turnovers which translated into 31 points for the Wolves. Their defense simply had no answer for the likes of Anthony Edwards and Co., who received a solid all-around performance from the entire rotation.
Los Angeles will need to seriously tighten up on both ends of the floor if they’re going to have any chance at beating the Suns again.
The Clips are also dealing with their fair share of absences, with Brandon Boston, Ivica Zubac, and Luke Kennard all out due to COVID health and safety protocols. Nicolas Batum is questionable as well.
Phoenix Still Rolling
The Suns continue to steamroll their opponents, posting a 7-3 record in their last 10 contests and previously securing back-to-back wins against the Hornets and Pelicans. In the process, their electric offense outscored these two teams by a total of 47 points.
The entire rotation came ready to kill in New Orleans, with every single starter finishing in double-digits. Booker erupted for a 33-piece, while Mikal Bridges was also hot, showing out for 23 points on 5-for-9 shooting from three-point range. Chris Paul only had 11 points, but he was picking apart the Pels’ defense, dishing out a ridiculous 15 assists.
The fantastic ball movement resulted in countless open looks for Monty Williams’ group, draining 55% of their triples and shooting 54% overall from the field. Another really nice bright spot off the bench was Bismack Biyombo, who the Suns just signed to add depth at center with Deandre Ayton and JaVale McGee currently out due to COVID-19. The former Hornets big man was a force inside, pouring in 16 points in 29 minutes of work and blocking three shots.
https://twitter.com/Suns/status/1478575610268041218
Speaking of Ayton and McGee, both players cleared protocols on Wednesday but they won’t be available to play against LA. Sharpshooter Jae Crowder is also out.
Clippers vs Suns Prediction
LA managed to take down the Suns without PG in mid-December. However, I don’t see that happening this time around. Phoenix is hot right now and they’re practically unbeatable at home, going 16-4 this season. Take Booker and Co. to cover the spread here and hand the Clips yet another loss.
Pick: Suns -11.5 (-110)
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