Suns vs. Clippers Odds, Game 6 Preview, Picks, & Prediction

by Sloan Piva (SloanPiva) Last Updated 2021-06-30 21:26:43

Suns vs. Clippers Odds

NBA Picks: Suns vs. Clippers Game 6 Odds Update

Updated at 5:20 pm ET Wednesday, June 30, 2021

• GM 6 Moneyline: Paul George and the Los Angeles Clippers are trying their best to stretch the Eastern Conference Finals, winning two of their last three games after falling behind 0-2. However, moneyline bettors don’t think they’ll deliver NBA fans a Game 7. As of 5 pm ET, 83% of the moneyline handle is behind the Suns, per Scores and Odds.

• GM 6 Spread: Likewise, 79% of spread money is being bet on Phoenix. The Clippers were favored earlier this morning, but the betting action has moved the spread to Suns -1 at most sportsbooks.

• GM 6 Over/Under: After a defensive battle in Game 5, bettors 70% of the over/under handle at online sportsbooks is on the under. The total currently sits at 214.15 across the industry.

Suns vs. Clippers Game 6 Preview

Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in. The classic Pacino line from Godfather III rings true when talking about the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2021 NBA Playoffs.

Kawhi Leonard sprains his knee, and we think the Clips are toast—but a legendary performance from Paul George, Terance Mann, and Reggie Jackson leads LA to a 4-2 Semifinals win over the No. 1 seed Jazz. Ten days later, the No. 2 seed Suns looked to have the Clippers dead to rights—up 3-1 in the Western Conference Finals with Game 5 in the Valley of the Sun. But PG dropped 41-13-6, Jackson and Marcus Morris Sr. combined for 45 points, and even Boogie Cousins made an impact in a 116-102 LA road win.

So, yes, they pulled me back in… big time. Cue the “Ball so hard” hook by Jay-Z and Kanye, because it’s time to “take your pick” in the pivotal “Game 6” (Who says 30-somethings don’t know popular culture!?).

Oddsmakers took notice to the road upset Monday, and Los Angeles now finds itself a -1 favorite back at STAPLES Center. The moneyline: flip a coin—both teams are -110, something you rarely see in Game 6 of a conference championship game. You also rarely see the away team favored at halftime, but underdogs for the full game, which BetMGM Sportsbook currently has listed. And DraftKings still has Los Angeles +1 for the game. Color me intrigued.

Suns Look for Answers

Is it possible that “(player-popup #chris-paul)Chris Paul”:/players/chris-paul-1087’s return to the Suns from COVID protocols has somehow derailed Phoenix’s momentum? Or is “(player-popup #devin-booker)Devin Booker”:/players/devin-booker-18949’s facemask bothering him? Booker was cooking with a flamethrower with CP3 out, and Deandre Ayton was dominating on the interior and in the two-man high screen-and-roll game. Now, suddenly the Suns are getting outshot 55 percent to 45 percent, losing the turnover battle 9-14, and getting dominated 58-32 in the paint.

Maybe it’s a stretch to suggest CP3’s presence has hurt the Suns. After all, the veteran floor general has been the main catalyst in Phoenix’s short transition from draft lottery team to Western Conference Championship favorite. And Booker dropped 31 Monday, so we can’t blame the mask (which he wore for the third straight game Monday to protect his Patrick Beverley-broken nose). But one thing’s for sure: the Suns did not play anywhere close to their offensive peak in Game 5, and their defense was downright shoddy.

Phoenix coach Monty Williams has made several comments about how the Suns need to play with more urgency in Game 6, and Booker has confidently stated that he and his teammates “will be ready.” The young All-Star said the Clippers “punched us in the face to start the game. And I think we showed [energy] at spots tonight and at certain times, but they’re not going to go away easily. So we have to be locked in from beginning to end.”

Williams and Book are right. With or without Kawhi and Zubac (both nursing knee injuries), the Clippers are a scrappy and very talented team, comprised of mostly vets with a lot of heart and a ton of pride. Shame on me for prematurely drafting their eulogy the other day—the Clippers are worthy of our respect, and they have earned their status as one-point favorites ahead of Wednesday’s tip.

Paul George’s Redemption

‘Playoff P’ has also completely stripped away any trace of the postseason choke artist labels put on his name in the past. With his two-time Finals MVP teammate Kawhi on the sidelines, Paul George has elevated his own personal superstardom to iconic levels. He’s doing it all, putting LA on his back. And his effort and focus seem to be rubbing off on his teammates.

Phoenix is young—take 36-year old Paul off the Suns roster, and they have an average age of 24.1 years. Compare that to LA’s core rotation, with an average age of 30.75 years, and you’ve got the makings of what could be a historic comeback. How many classic fights have you seen in which the young stud gets off to a huge advantage, only to get KO’d by the tough, cagey veteran later in the match?

Whether Booker scores 30 or not, Patrick Beverley has been a problem for the young All-Star. Book’s game is not flowing as smoothly as it had been in the first two rounds, and he’s having much more trouble creating for his teammates. The same could be said for Ayton in Game 5, with veteran tough guy Demarcus Cousins roughing up the 22-year old down low.

Clippers vs. Suns Game 6 Picks & Predictions

How can I pick against the Clippers tonight? The same way Phoenix felt like the right pick at home in Game 5, Los Angeles feels like a no-brainer with momentum back in Hollywood. I don’t care what Phoenix tells us about their mindset or mentality going into a fight—they must prove with their play that they can take a haymaker, get back up, and knock the opponent out.

The Suns seem to be well-aware of what they did wrong in Game 5, and what they need to be if they want to emerge victorious in Game 6. But saying and doing are two different things. I’m all-in on this one going seven, and turning into an all-out, 12-round slugfest. Thus, I’m picking LA -1, admittedly a complete reversal of tunes from my Game 5 preview. Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.

• Halftime Prediction: Clippers 58-54
• Final Score Prediction: Clippers 114-111
• Game 5 Pick: Clippers -1

Image Credit: Imagn