The No. 4 seed Suns will try to put a damper on the No. 5 seed Clippers' playoff dreams at 3:30 p.m. ET in Game 4 of the first round of the 2023 NBA playoffs. After splitting the first two games in Phoenix, the Suns defeated the Kawhi-less Clippers 129-124 in Game 3 on Thursday night.
Devin Booker had a ridiculous performance for the Suns, scoring a game-high 45 points on 18-of-29 shooting from the field and 3-of-7 from three-point range. Booker set the tone immediately for Phoenix as the rest of the starting lineup scored in double figures. Kevin Durant was the Suns' second-leading scorer with 28 points, six, and five assists. It was a quality all-around performance from Durant, who is averaging 26.7 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists in the postseason. Finally, veteran forward Torrey Craig recorded 15 points, four rebounds, and two assists in the five-point win. Craig has been an x-factor in this series and shot the ball well from beyond the arc (62.5 percent).
Meanwhile, the Clippers saw Norman Powell step up as he replaced an injured Kawhi Leonard (knee sprain) in the starting lineup. Powell did not disappoint, dropping 42 points on 15-of-23 shooting from the field and 7-of-12 from three-point range. Los Angeles needed every point from Powell, as he and Russell Westbrook were the only two starters in double figures. Westbrook came out with an aggressive mentality, leading to 30 points, 12 assists, and eight rebounds. Lastly, with the rest of the Clippers' starters struggling, head coach Tyronn Lue turned to Bones Hyland and Terance Mann off the bench. Hyland scored 20 points in 21 minutes, while Mann had 10 points in 26 minutes. If the Clippers want to even up this series at 2-2, Eric Gordon, Ivica Zubac, and Nic Batum must score more than 13 combined points.
Can the Suns take down the Clippers in a decisive Game 4, or will Los Angeles battle back without Leonard and head back to Phoenix tied at 2-2? Below, we'll break down today's Suns-Clippers matchup, giving our prediction and best bets for the 2023 NBA Playoffs.
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Suns vs. Clippers odds, picks, predictions
- Spread: Suns -7.5 (-110); Clippers +7.5 (-110)
- Over/Under: OVER 226.5 (-115); UNDER 226.5 (-105)
- Moneyline: Suns -350; Clippers +260
The Clippers will not have Leonard for today's game, as he was ruled out on Friday night. This means multiple players must step up to replace Leonard's production (34.5 points, 6.5 assists, and 6.0 rebounds). The Suns enter Game 4 as 7.5-point favorites after the spread opened up at 5.5 points. Phoenix is receiving 50 percent of the bets (58 of the handle) on the spread but only 33 percent of the bets (42 percent of the handle) on the money line.
Shockingly, the public is riding with the Clippers today on the moneyline as they are getting 67 percent of the bets and 58 percent of the handle. If it wasn't for Booker going off for 45 points and the Clippers not getting a lot of production from their starters, Game 3 could've been a different story.
The Clips are 20-22 against the spread at home (including the postseason) and 5-6 ATS as a home underdog. If Los Angeles wants to cover and potentially win, they have to cut down on their turnovers, which was an issue in Game 3. The Clippers recorded 18 turnovers, leading to 25 points for the Suns. A team with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker does not need extra possessions.
The Suns didn't have their best defensive performance on Thursday night, as they got lit up from beyond the arc. Phoenix had the 11th-ranked three-point defense during the regular season (35.7 percent). Therefore, the Suns cannot let Norman Powell step into shots and must defend the perimeter better. Phoenix is 20-21-1 ATS on the road (including the NBA playoffs) and 11-9 ATS as a road favorite. If the Suns handle their business and get a better performance from Chris Paul, who has been a non-factor, they should win. However, we still like the Clippers to battle and cover the spread.
Prediction: Suns 112, Clippers 108. The Clippers (+7.5) cover the spread, with the game going UNDER the total (226.5)
Best player prop bet for Suns vs. Clippers: Torrey Craig OVER 9.5 points (-105)
With Paul struggling on offense through the first three games (11.3 points per game on 37.5 percent shooting from the field), Phoenix has had to get production from Torrey Craig, who has been a difference-maker. The vet is scoring 18 points per game on 69.2 percent from the field and 62.5 percent from the three-point range in the postseason. The 32-year-old has gone OVER 9.5 points in all three games and six out of his past 10 contests (including the regular season).
The Clippers allowed the third-fewest points per game to SFs this season. However, when you have to devote special attention to Durant and Booker on the perimeter, it lets a player like Craig flourish and take advantage of the moment.
