NBA Playoff Betting June 24 – Phoenix Suns at Los Angeles Clippers
It’s not like the Los Angeles Clippers haven’t been in this situation before. Down 0-2 in the Western Conference finals to the Phoenix Suns, the Clips face a must-win situation when the series shifts to LA for Thursday’s Game 3. No team in NBA history has overcome a 3-0 deficit, though the Clippers rallied after losing the first two games against Dallas and Utah. They didn’t lose a game like they did on Tuesday, though, with the Suns scoring a bucket with less than a second remaining for the 104-103 victory. The Clips will have to bounce back from that gut punch and will again be without Kawhi Leonard. Phoenix hit the board as a 1-point favorite to extend its franchise record playoff winning streak to nine.
Phoenix Suns at Los Angeles Clippers
Date and Time: Thursday, June 24, 2021, 9 p.m. ET
Location: Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA
Opening NBA Odds: Phoenix -1, O/U 221
Suns at Clippers TV Coverage: ESPN
Odds Analysis
You’d probably think the Clippers would be favored in Game 3 since they responded with a double-digit victory in each of the first two series. After dropping the first two games at home, LA strolled into Dallas for a 118-108 win. They went on to win four of the next five to claim the series in seven games. They routed Utah 132-106 in Game 3 of that series easily covering the spread to start a four-game winning streak to clinch that series. After Game 3 of the early rounds the Clippers are 8-1 SU and ATS. There are a few differences now, though. First they probably won’t have Leonard available as he continues to mend from a knee injury. And the Suns are the hottest team around having won nine straight games while going 8-1 ATS in that stretch. Overall this postseason they are 10-2 SU and 9-3 ATS.
Phoenix Suns
If you were paying attention last season you could have seen this coming. The Suns didn’t lose a game in the bubble after the season resumed, but it wasn’t enough to get them in the playoffs. That just made them hungrier and adding veteran Chris Paul expedited the process. The young core led by Devin Booker and DeAndre Ayton grew up before our eyes and they showed they can succeed without Paul winning the first two games with Cameron Payne taking over the starting role. Payne was instrumental in Game 2 scoring a career-high 29 points picking up the slack for a subdued Booker. After netting 40 points in the opener Booker was held in check allowing Payne to do his thing. “We just had no answer for Cameron Payne,” LA coach Tyronn Lue lamented.
While Booker has received much of the attention for his brilliant postseason, Ayton has been rock solid and cemented his position in Phoenix sports lore with his alley-oop dunk off an inbounds pass to win Game 2. He’s been nearly unstoppable around the basket making nearly 73 percent of his shots during the playoffs. He scored a playoff high 24 points on Tuesday hitting 12 of 15 from the floor while adding 14 boards. Ayton forced the Clippers to switch their starting lineup with Ivica Zubac inserted to counter the advantage. It didn’t work, though, with Ayton’s game winner coming over LA’s big man.
Los Angeles Clippers
Do the Clippers have anything left to overcome another 0-2 series deficit? They have to be confident that they can come back and win Game 3 since they’ve done it all postseason, but this routine is getting old. Paul George has been tasked with shouldering the load with Leonard on the shelf and for the most part he delivered with a 37-point outing in Game 5 of the Utah series. He scored 26 points on Tuesday but the Clips needed more from him. He misfired on a pair of free throws just before Ayton’s game-winner and was just 5 of 10 from the stripe and 1 of 8 from three-point range.
The Clippers probably should have won Game 2 and knowing they were right there despite a poor game from George has to give them some comfort. “Obviously, it was an opportunity that was missed,” George said. And like in the first two rounds they will play with a sense of urgency. Defensively they did a nice job holding Booker in check and held Phoenix to 26 percent from three-point range. And like they did in the Utah series, players like Reggie Jackson and Terrance Mann will have to elevate their game.
Bet Suns at Clippers at BookMaker.eu
We expected a tight game on Tuesday and it couldn’t get much closer. The entire season series has been close and I don’t expect that to change. Now would be a good time for George to redeem himself and that’s entirely possible since he’s having a wonderful postseason. And besides, the Clippers are pretty much done if they lose so take the points in what should be another hard-fought contest.
NBA Score Prediction: Clippers 109, Suns 105
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- Phil Simon, Gambling911.com
