NBA picks: Clippers vs. Suns prediction, odds, over/under, spread, injury report for Wednesday, Jan. 3
Two of the hottest teams in the Western Conference will face off Wednesday when the Los Angeles Clippers (20-12) meet the Phoenix Suns (18-15). The Clippers have won three in a row, while the Suns have won their last four. This is the first meeting between these squads this season.
Kawhi Leonard is off the injury report for the Clippers, who are fully intact. The Suns have ruled out Kevin Durant with a hamstring issue, while Damion Lee remains out with a long-term injury. Nassir Little is available for Phoenix.
The Clippers are 3.5-point favorites according to DraftKings Sportsbook, with the total coming in at 232. Los Angeles is -162 on the moneyline while Phoenix is +136.
Clippers vs. Suns, 9 p.m. ET
Pick ATS: Suns +3.5
The Clippers are a .500 team against the number, and are 6-8 on the road straight up. Although they are 5-3 ATS as a road underdog, they’ve simply underperformed away from Crypto.com Arena. The Suns are without Durant, but the return of Bradley Beal will soften the blow. Beal is averaging 23 points on 62/40/100 splits over the last two games. The Suns haven’t been particularly good at home with a 10-9 record and a 6-13 ATS mark, but they has won three games in a row at home as part of this extended stay in the desert. I like them to keep this one close despite Durant being out and cover.
Over/Under: Under 232
The Clippers are the most under-friendly team in the league, going 12-19-1 to overs this season. The Suns trend slightly to the over at 18-15, but have gone under their totals in six of their last eight games. I like this to be a slightly more defensive contest than expected and with Durant’s scoring prowess on the bench, I feel good about taking the under on this total.
