PHOENIX SUNS (14-42) at LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS (36-19)
Sportsbook.ag Line: Los Angeles -15, Total: 212
PHOENIX SUNS (14-42) at LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS (36-19)
The Clippers will be hoping to pick up a victory when they face a Suns team that has lost 11 straight games heading into Monday’s meeting.
The Suns have been one of the worst teams in basketball all season, but the team will be hoping to upset the Clippers on Monday. Phoenix has covered in two of the past three outings, so the team is improving a bit. The Suns most recently hosted the Spurs on Sunday and lost 118-111, but the game was close all the way through. They’ll just need to be a bit better defensively against Los Angeles, as they allowed San Antonio to shoot 52.4% from the field on Sunday.
The Clippers have now lost two of their past three games. They hosted the Warriors on Saturday night and lost 115-112 as four-point home underdogs. Los Angeles has now allowed two of its past three opponents to shoot 49% or better from the field and will need to be better defensively moving forward.
The Suns defeated the Clippers 118-104 the last time these teams played, but that game was in Phoenix and the team was a lot healthier back then. The Clippers are still 8-2 SU in this series over the past three seasons and the teams have split victories ATS in that span. Los Angeles is, however, a lousy 7-17 ATS in home games after covering in two of their past three over the past two seasons. Fortunately for the Clippers, the Suns are 0-7 ATS in road games after having lost 12 or more of their past 15 games this season.
The Suns have not been winning games recently, but they are a bit more competitive as of late. One guy that will need to play better if they are going to get back into the win column is SG Devin Booker (10.6 PPG). Booker is averaging just 10.0 PPG on 6-for-20 shooting from the field in the past two contests. Phoenix is counting on him to be the top option offensively and he needs to start making some shots moving forward. He should be able to find some success against the Clippers, as they are weakest defensively at the shooting guard position.
One guy that has stepped it up offensively is PF Mirza Teletovic (10.4 PPG, 3.1 RPG). Teletovic is going to need to play well in this game, as the Suns can really struggle to score at times. Over the past five games, the Phoenix big man is averaging 17.0 PPG on 47.4% shooting from the field and 42.9% shooting from the outside. Teletovic must be aggressive in this game and find a way to put pressure on the Clippers.
C Alex Len (7.2 PPG, 6.3 RPG) can also give the Suns a lift in this one. He had 23 points and 13 rebounds against the Spurs on Sunday and will need to hold his own against DeAndre Jordan in this one. If he is killed on the glass and can’t find a way to be effective then the Suns will likely get blown out.
The Clippers are coming off of a loss to the Warriors and will now be hungry to get a win against an inferior Suns team on Monday. One guy that should be able to completely take over this game is PG Chris Paul (19.6 PPG, 9.4 APG, 2.1 SPG). Paul will be going up against a Suns team that is extremely weak at the point guard position and he has been on a tear recently. Over the past five games, Paul is averaging 24.0 PPG and 10.8 APG on 50.6% shooting from the field and 41.9% shooting from the outside. If he can get it going on Monday then it’s unlikely that the Suns will be able to keep this game close.
L.A can also use a good game from C DeAndre Jordan (12.2 PPG, 14.2 RPG, 2.3 BPG) in this one. Jordan is coming off of a 16-point, 21-rebound and two-block performance against Golden State on Saturday. He will need to grab all of the rebounds he can and also protect the rim in this one.
It’d also be nice for the Clippers if SF Jeff Green (12.1 PPG, 4.5 RPG) can get it going against the Suns. Green had just five points on 2-for-7 shooting from the field in his Clippers debut, but he will be more comfortable the more he plays with this team. Los Angeles can really use some consistency at forward and it’d be huge if he can provide it.
