NBA: Los Angeles Clippers VS Phoenix Suns Pick and Predictions 02/16/2023

Game: 10:00 PM ET,  Thursday, February 16th, 2023

Venue:  Footprint Center, Phoenix, Arizona

TV:  TNT

Clippers: 32-28, 5th place Western Conference

Suns: 32-27, 4th place Western Conference

BetMGM:  Point Spread: Clippers -1.5, O/U 221.5

PointsBet: Point Spread: Clippers -1, O/U 221.5

Fanduel: Point Spread:  Clippers -1, O/U 221.5

Clippers: PG Terence Mann, SG Paul George, SF Kawhi Leonard, PF Marcus Morris SR, C Ivica Zubac

Suns: PG Chris Paul, SG Devin Booker, SF Torrey Craig, PF TJ Warren, C Deandre Ayton

A Western Conference battle of the 5th and 4th place teams… It is also “The Last Chance”.  The Los Angeles Clippers get to be the last team to play the Suns before the All-star break… with everyone knowing full well that after the break SF Kevin Durant will be suiting up to play for the Suns.  Thai means they may well be the last team who gets the Suns without Durant or Miles Bridges (who they traded away to get Durant).  The Clippers have many fine all-stars and scorers and defensive studs on their squad… BUT this is a get it while you can moment because the Next time they have to face the Suns they will have to face the games best pure scorer.  The Suns on the other hand have some pretty good pieces even without Durant at the moment.  Hall of Fame PG CP3, SG Devin Booker, and C Deandre Ayton.  That is formidable.  The great betting opportunity here is in seeing that this is essentially a pick’ em game as you can find -1 on most gambling sites… So who do you think will win?  I think….

The Los Angeles Clippers have won 6 of their last 10 games.. Going 6-4 ATS during that stretch.  They won their last game over the Golden State Warriors 134-124 while getting a masterful 33 point, 7 rebound, 4 assist game from team star SF Kawhi Leonard.  Kawhi sunk 7 3-pointers in 9 tries.  Pretty good.  Sg Paul george came through with 20 points & 8 assists… and super sub SF/SG Norman Powell added 24 p[oints off the bench in 25 minutes… and therein lies the problem.  The team is going to “rest” Norman Powell for the game before the All-Star weekend to give him a full period of recovery.  What that does mean is we will get to see more of “New Clippers” PG Bones Hyland and SG Eric Gordon who were scooped up at the trade deadline.  Hopefully they feel at home and perform well… OR the team just might sign Russell Westbrook after the Utah Jazz buy him out.

The Phoenix Suns have won 7 of their last 10 games.  They lost a lot of games a few weeks ago because BOTH Booker and Chris Paul missed time with injury and a heaping helpful fo bench players missed time too.  They have gotten healthy and are over the moon about the soon to be Sun SF Kevin Durant.  They won their last game 120-109 over the 3rd place Sacramento Kings ( a team that needed a trade before the Playoffs and did not get one)... In the win C Deandre Ayton scored 29 points to go with his 11 rebounds, SG Devin Booker led the team with 32 points while taking ZERO 3-pointers… and Pg Chris Paul had 17 points and 19 ASSISTS… look out world these 3 guys are about to add the games BEST pure scorer!

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The Clippers are 27th in scoring with 111.4 points per game, 15th in rebounds with 43.5 per game. On defense they rank 4th while holding opponents to 111.2 points per game.  They are a defensively fantastic team thanks to a plethora of 2-way players like Terence Mann and Marcus Morris Sr… not to mention Kawhi and PG-13

The Suns are 22nd in scoring (about to go way up) with 112.8 points per game, 10th in rebounds with 44. On defense they are 5th while allowing 111.2 points a game.  The defense at the moment is suspect since the departure of SF Mile Bridges who was clearly their best defender… but they are also capable at several other positions.

Our prediction for Thursday, February 16th is…. Clippers 129 - Suns 117

Bet on the Clippers. Kawhi and Paul George have very drastic advantages in this matchup… and since they are also the two best the Clippers have?... The Clippers should have an easy path to scoring.

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The Clippers have 9 Overs and 21 Unders when the total is 220-229.5 this season.

The Clippers are 3-0 ATS when playing 4 or fewer games in 10 days this season.

The Suns are 14-5 ATS in a home game where the total is 220-229.5 this season.

The Suns are 9-0 ATS versus division opponents this season.

Clippers: SG Paul George.  Paul is the most reliable Clippers when it comes to pure two-way playing. He will score on Devin Booker and has a real chance at causing Devin a bad shooting night from timely closeouts.

Suns: PG Chris Paul. Older than dirt.  Older than most fossils buried in the Arizona desert… and he got 19 assists in his last outing.  People keep waiting for Chris Paul to fall off but the guy stays at the top of the game year after year.

Clippers: Tye “when will it happen?” Lue

Suns: Monty “I make it happen” Williams