Clippers vs Suns Picks, Predictions & Odds Tonight

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03 January 2024

Clippers vs Suns Picks, Predictions & Odds Tonight

Despite entering tonight's contest on a four-game winning streak, the Suns find themselves as four-point home pups vs. a healthy Clippers side that's appeared to have turned the corner. With no Durant in the lineup for Phoenix, will LA get the last laugh?

It feels like the Phoenix Suns have been just rising and falling through the first part of this season, but despite the inconsistency the NBA odds still believe the Suns will get it together as they are still among the favorites to be crowned champions at season’s end.

As for the Los Angeles Clippers, they are playing well, and ascending the odds board. Tonight, these Western Conference foes face off in the desert with both teams building some momentum.

The Clippers have won 12 of their last 14 games and the last three in a four, while the Suns enter this matchup winners of four straight. However, Oddsmakers have more faith in the Clippers at this point as they are favored by this by a handful of points tonight.

I break down this West showdown and bring you the best bet in my NBA picks and predictions for Clippers vs. Suns.

Clippers vs Suns odds

Clippers vs Suns predictions

While the Phoenix Suns have won four consecutive games, something still just doesn’t feel right with this team. Yes, Kevin Durant and Devin Booker are studs who can take over any game but it’s easy to think that Phoenix is relying on those guys a little too much — and it's cost them.

It has taken a four-game winning streak to get to 18-15 and eighth place in the Western Conference and the offense isn’t where you would think it would be with a team featuring these players. The Suns rank 11th in the NBA when it comes to offensive rating and 15th in effective field goal percentage.

Oh, and just to make matters worse, Durant will sit this game out with a hamstring injury. Which is a big reason why the Suns are +4-point home underdogs. Luckily, Bradley Beal has returned but without KD this is going to be a tough matchup for Phoenix.

With the likes of Kawhi Leonard, and Paul George the Clippers have a ton of wing defenders to handle Booker and Beal tonight. Overall, the Los Angeles Clippers rank ninth in defensive rating and eighth in eFG%.

The other problem for the Suns is that their best offensive lineups hurt them on the defensive end of the floor. Phoenix ranks 15th in defensive rating and 12th in opponent 3-point shooting percentage. The Suns just don’t have the bodies to deal with the shooting of Leonard, Paul, and James Harden.

The Clippers' new Big 3 has found their groove. Los Angeles is 12-2 since the start of December. The Clippers rank third in offensive rating and second in eFG% over that span, putting up 121.6 points per game over that span.

With no KD these teams are just on different levels at the moment. I’m confident laying the points with the Clippers in this spot.

My best bet: Clippers -4 (-110 at FanDuel) 25% in-play boost available

Clippers vs Suns same-game parlay

Clippers -4

Ivica Zubac Over 9.5 rebounds

James Harden Over 2.5 threes made

As always our same-game parlay begins with my best bet, which for this Western Conference clash is laying the four points with the Clippers against the Suns sans Kevin Durant.

With the Suns missing their best shooter, that could mean a few more bricks against a solid Clippers defense. That means more rebounds. And since the Suns feature Jusuf Nurkic, it could mean more minutes for Ivica Zubac. The Clippers center is averaging 9.7 rebounds per game this season, so let’s take the Over on his 9.5 rebounds for tonight.

And let’s close this SGP out with a shooting prop. With no KD it likely means more minutes for the likes of Grayson Allen and Eric Gordon, who are not great perimeter defenders. James Harden is shooting 45.6% from 3-point range over his last 11 games, hitting three or more threes six times over that stretch. Take the Over on Harden's 2.5 threes made.

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Clippers vs Suns spread and Over/Under analysis

With no Kevin Durant available for the Suns, the Clippers opened this Western Conference matchup as 2.5-point road favorites and have gradually moved to 4-point favorites a few hours before tipoff.

I broke down why I like the Clippers against the spread in this matchup above, but on top of that, the Suns haven’t lived up to their billing as they have been one of the worst bets in the NBA all season long, sitting at 12-20-1 ATS for the season.

When it comes to the total, that opened at 233.5 and has been bet down ever so slightly to 233, and if you like the Over here, you’ll be relying on the Clippers to do the heavy lifting. The Suns also played their previous game without Durant and managed just 109 points against the underwhelming Portland Trail Blazers.

I would prefer looking at the Clippers team total if anything here, but I’m staying away from the full game.