Clippers vs. Suns Odds, Game 2 Preview, Picks, & Prediction

by Sloan Piva (SloanPiva) Last Updated 2021-06-22 10:48:18

Clippers vs. Suns Odds

No Paul, no problem for the Phoenix Suns in Game 1. Will the same hold true Tuesday night? NBA betting analyst previews Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals, breaking down Clippers vs. Suns odds and NBA betting tips.

The Phoenix Suns continue to look like the best team in the NBA, and now find themselves just three wins away from the NBA Championship series. Even without Chris Paul (COVID protocols), Phoenix dismantled the Los Angeles Clippers 120-114 in Game 1. Now the Suns are -5 favorites in Game 2, and -235 on the *moneyline.

Clippers Missing Leonard

The Clippers really missed dual-court superstar Kawhi Leonard Sunday. The two-time champion and Finals MVP was out due to a knee injury he sustained in the semifinals against Utah, and he remains questionable for Tuesday’s contest in Arizona. Paul, still the best veteran floor general in hoops, is also listed as questionable due to COVID protocols.

The Suns have been dominant from top to bottom all season and postseason. They have won nine of their 11 playoff games, only dropping two games to the reigning-champion Lakers. Phoenix has a very disciplined team game on both sides of the floor, a product of Monty Williams’ fantastic coaching and Paul’s stellar veteran leadership.

In Game 1, seven different Suns players scored eight or more points, and six reached double-digits. But star guard Devin Booker and big man Deandre Ayton, the cornerstones of this Phoenix franchise, were the top catalysts in the victory. The amazing Booker scored 40 points, grabbed 13 rebounds, and dropped 11 assists, his first career triple-double. Ayton added 20 points and nine rebounds, and played superb interior defense all night

Suns Role Players Providing Support

The role players contributed on both ends of the floor for Williams’ squad, too. Veteran swingman Jae Crowder continued to make an impact, logging 13-6-2 while playing great D. Mikal Bridges, an underrated three-and-D player in today’s NBA, dropped 14 points and helped lock down the perimeter. Cameron Payne and Cameron Johnson both provided sparks off the bench, reaching double-digits in scoring. Even veteran Torrey Craig was a difference-maker.

The Suns shot over 55 percent from the floor Sunday, and held LA to 45 percent. Phoenix hit all nine free throw attempts, outrebounded the Clippers 43-39, and outscored LA 54-34 in the paint. The Suns also won the assist battle 31-23, and committed two fewer turnovers (7-9). And that’s all without Paul, who normally serves as the conductor for this little engine that can.

If I’m Ty Lue and the Clippers, I’m very worried. LA shot 45 percent from the field, 42 percent from three-point land, and 83 percent from the line, but somehow lost. The Clips got another great performance from Paul George (34-4-5), and Reggie Jackson stepped up big once again (24-6-4), but nobody else in a Clippers jersey reached double-digits.

Without Leonard, LA gets far too exposed by penetration, on the interior, and on the boards. And the Clippers also struggle to move the ball as well without him, or get up as many consistently good shots. I’m afraid that Phoenix is overall a better team than LA with everyone healthy, and it’s a vastly better team with Paul and Leonard both out.

That’s partly because Booker has continued to elevate toward superstardom. He is, quite simply, one of the 15 best scorers in basketball, and Williams has him playing perfect system hoops. Booker cannot be stopped, and if he gets doubled or draws help defense, he finds his open teammates. He makes everyone around him better. Paul has definitely rubbed off on him.

Clippers-Suns Picks and Predictions

The Suns are absolutely relentless when it comes to keeping the pace, and they flourish when they are spacing the floor and moving the ball. Despite George dueling with Booker throughout the third quarter of Game 1—Booker scored 18, PG had 15—and the two teams ending the third frame tied 93-93, the Suns went on a 12-2 fourth-quarter run from which LA could never fully recover.

Phoenix was built to go 12 rounds every single game, and it has proven that so far this postseason. Suns GM James Jones, recently named NBA Executive of the Year, deserves all the praise that has been lauded on him. In a relatively short matter of time, Jones has turned this franchise from a draft lottery team to a title contender.

He had my unofficial vote for GM of the Year, and the Suns are my pick to win the whole thing. And how can anyone pick against them, as currently constituted, in Game 2? They have gone an NBA-best 60-23 straight up across all games this season, and an NBA-best 51-30-2 as a home team against the spread. As a home favorite, they have gone 30-7. That’s an 81.1 winning percentage.

I expect that the Suns keep rolling Tuesday, and once again scold the Clippers at home. I do think this series goes seven games if Leonard returns to 75-80 percent health, but that’s a big if. For now, the smart money is on Phoenix -235. I don’t like the 5.5-point spread—it’s too much, in my opinion, and I’d take LA +5.5. But I absolutely love the Suns, who always seem to win the games they are supposed to this year.

• FINAL SCORE PREDICTION: Suns 116-112
• GAME 2 PICK: Suns ML -200

Image Credit: Imagn