Suns vs Clippers Picks, Predictions & Odds Tonight

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08 January 2024

Suns vs Clippers Picks, Predictions & Odds Tonight

It's the second meeting in five days between the Suns and Clippers and while our betting picks rode with the Clippers in the last meeting, the return of Kevin Durant has us switching allegiances on Monday night as the backdrop shifts to LA.

Despite their respective flaws, the Phoenix Suns and the Los Angeles Clippers are among the favorites when it comes to the NBA odds to win the Western Conference and will face off for the second time in less than a week.

The Clippers dominated the last meeting in a game that wasn’t as close as the score indicates and now they are 6.5-point favorites for Monday night’s meeting. But there will be one big difference this time around. Kevin Durant will play.

But will KD be enough against a Clippers team that has looked like one of the best in the NBA since James Harden got his groove back? I break down this West showdown and bring you the best bet in my NBA picks and predictions for Suns vs. Clippers on Monday, January 8.

Suns vs Clippers odds

Suns vs Clippers predictions

Both the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Clippers entered this season with NBA Finals aspirations and while the NBA odds say they have similar chances to reach that goal, only one team looks closer than the other to achieve that goal.

People were making fun of the Clippers immediately following the James Harden trade. Well, they’re not laughing now. Despite losing to the Lakers 106-103 last night, the Clippers are now 19-6 in its last 25 games and rank sixth in the NBA in net rating and effective field goal percentage over that stretch.

Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and James Harden make a very difficult trio to defend. But they will be playing the second half of a back-to-back tonight, and while all three are available, this team (Leonard in particular) isn’t exactly known for enjoying these types of spots.

Meanwhile, it’s hard to know what to make of the Suns at this point. The good news is that Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal will all be on the court tonight. The bad news is that it’s only the sixth time that has happened all season, and last night resulted in a 121-115 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.

And despite all the issues with players coming in and out of the lineup, resulting in inconsistent results, some of the numbers for the Suns aren’t terrible. They still rank 11th in offensive rating and on the defensive end of the floor they rank 16th in rating and 10th in opponent eFG%.

But what stands out to me the most here is the spread. I can’t remember too many times when a team with Kevin Durant, where he was actually on the floor, was getting this many points. Let alone a game with a guy like Devin Booker playing alongside him.

KD is still a difference maker, averaging 29.6 points on 52.3% shooting this season. And the Suns, theoretically, should only get better the more KD, Booker and Beal play together. That being the case, even though the Clippers are playing better basketball right now, 6.5 points feels like too many points to be giving the Suns here.

My best bet: Suns +6.5 (-125 at BetMGM)

Suns vs Clippers same-game parlay

Suns +6.5

Kevin Durant Over 23.5 points

Under 233

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As always our same-game parlay starts with our best bet, which for this Western Conference clash is Phoenix +6.5. One of the reasons I like that is because of the presence of Kevin Durant, even if he nursing a hamstring injury.

KD is averaging 29.6 points per game this season and while he only scored 23 in his return against the Grizzlies, if he is good enough to go, he’s good enough to put up some points. His total for this matchup against the Clippers is sitting at a low 23.5. It feels like a bit of a trap but I’m taking the Over on a number in 25 of his 28 games played this season.

While I’ll take the Over on KD points, let’s add the Under for the full-game total. Both teams are at least solid at the defensive end of the floor. Phoenix ranks 14th in scoring defense giving up 113.8 points per game, and Los Angeles is eighth at 111.5.

Additionally, the Clippers and Suns rank 23rd, and 28th in pace of play respectively. Mix in the second game in as many nights, and the teams could be a little sluggish and we could see some lower scoring.

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Suns vs Clippers spread and Over/Under analysis

This line opened with the Clippers as 5.5-point favorites, and they saw the early action moving the line to 6.5. Since then, some money has come back to the Suns with several 5.5s back on the board a few hours from tip-off.

The Suns have not been a great bet this season, but the Clippers haven’t exactly been cashing tickets like made either going 4-4 ATS in their last eight games and I’m still confident in my best bet being the Suns with the points.

When it comes to the total, that opened at 228 and has been bet all the way up to 233. But as I broke down in the SGP section, at this new number I believe there is some value on the Under. The Clippers have been a great Under bet all season long at 14-21 O/U, while the Suns have cashed the Under in seven of their last 11 games overall.