NBA Predictions & Odds 4/16/23

Los Angeles Clippers (44-38) vs. Phoenix Suns (45-37)
April 16, 2023 8:00 pm EDT
The Line: Phoenix Suns -7.5; Over/Under: +229
(Get latest betting odds)

The Phoenix Suns play host to the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 1 at the Footprint Center on Sunday night.

The Los Angeles Clippers finished off the regular season with five wins in their past seven games to finish with a 44-38 overall record, good enough for the fifth seed in the Western Conference. Kawhi Leonard played 52 games this season with averages of 23.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game, Norman Powell averaged 17.0 points and 2.9 rebounds per game, while Russell Westbrook averaged 15.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 7.6 assists per game. As a team, the Clippers scored 113.6 points per game while shooting 47.7 percent from the field and 38.1 percent from the 3-point line, but they are still missing their second leading scorer as Paul George isn’t expected to be rushed back for this series. 

Meanwhile, the Phoenix Suns had their ups and downs this season, but they’ve been full of promise since acquiring Kevin Durant and they will have eyes on going all the way in these playoffs. Devin Booker has taken his game to another level with averages of 27.8 points. 4.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game, Kevin Durant averaged 26.0 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game while Deandre Ayton averaged 18.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game. As a team, the Suns scored 113.6 points per game while shooting 46.7 percent from the field and 37.4 percent from the 3-point line.

Looking at the betting trends, the Clippers are 1-4 ATS in their last five games against a team with a winning record, 4-1 ATS in their last five Conference Quarterfinals games and 1-4 ATS in their last five games overall. The Suns are 2-5 ATS in their last seven games following a loss, 7-2 ATS in their last nine Conference Quarterfinals games and 5-1-1 ATS in their last seven games playing on three or more days rest. 

Head to head, the under is 6-2 in the last eight meetings overall and the Clippers are 1-4 ATS in the last five meetings overall. 

The Clippers are still missing Paul George, while the Suns are keeping an eye on Cameron Payne who is considered questionable for this one. The regular season series was split at 2-2 with the Clippers beating the Suns in the last game of the regular season so we could be going the distance in this series. With that being said, the loss of George is a massive hole for the Clippers to overcome in this series and I think they struggle to keep up with the Suns in this spot. The line is a little hefty, but I’m sticking with the Suns to maintain home court advantage with a win and cover here.