Clippers vs Suns Betting Odds: Can LA Avoid Elimination?

Suns Look to Advance

The Phoenix Suns are one win away from punching their ticket to the second round of the Western Conference playoffs. Here’s a look at the Clippers vs Suns Betting Odds as we dive into the Game 5 showdown between these two teams.

The Clippers will be hoping for a game-time boost with Kawhi Leonard once again listed as questionable for this one. The two-time NBA Finals MVP hasn’t featured since Game 2 due to a knee issue and his absence has been magnified by the fact the Clippers were already without Paul George for this series.

Meanwhile, the Suns will look to secure their passage as quickly as possible to ensure their starters can get some well-earned rest before a possible showdown with the Denver Nuggets next round. Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and Chris Paul are all averaging over 40 minutes a game this series & their health is the main concern for the Suns moving forward.

Phoenix is currently 12.0 point favorite for Game 5 on Tuesday night, with the full game total currently sitting at 224.0 points.

Clippers Offense Running Low

The Clippers pace-and-space approach is slowly being manipulated by the Suns and their source of offense seems to be drying up as a direct result.

Without Leonard or George on the floor, the Clippers are devoid of Isolation scorers who can create their own shot in the halfcourt. While guys like Norman Powell and Russell Westbrook are capable of putting up points in a hurry they’re largely dependent on playing downhill and in transition to do so.

Ty Lue will need to get creative with his halfcourt sets if Leonard is out once again and his rotations may involve going ultra-small in order to try and stretch Phoenix’s halfcourt defense.

The Suns held LA to a 49.8% Effective Field Goal average in Game 4 while allowing just 1.04 points per possession. The Clippers don’t have the midrange versatility right now to put a strain on the Suns defensive matchups and getting creative with lineups might be their best chance to unlock something in this elimination game.

If Leonard is available to play that would naturally change the entire matchup and his presence alone help give them the inside-outside threat they desperately need right now. Kawhi’s NBA player stats showed his shooting splits to be the best in the league over the final month of the season; it’s certainly an injection that this offense could use right now.

Suns Need to Use Size Advantage

There’s no denying that the lack of depth on this Suns roster is a concern for navigating the Western Conference landscape; but in a matchup where their opponents best strength is pace- the Suns need to punish them inside with their size.

The Clippers attempts to play small ball in Game 4 resulted in the Suns finishing with a 39.5% Offensive rebound rate. That number ranks in the 96th percentile for the full season such was their dominance on the offensive glass.

The Suns owned a +16 advantage on the boards in Game 4 and also recorded nine more offensive rebounds than LA in Game 3. That ultimately proved the difference in that game and it’s something that could again ensure they get the job done here in Game 5 on their home floor.

Deandre Ayton and Kevin Durant will likely spend time matching up against a Clippers team who will have lineups with no true Center on the floor. If Phoenix can avoid getting into a transition game with the visitors they’ll find themselves able to create mismatches in the halfcourt and generate second-chance opportunities that will prove too much for an understrength Clippers team to overcome.

Despite the obvious advantages for the home team, the +12.0 point for the road team is too high in an elimination game against one of the shrewdest coaches in the NBA.

There’s still hope for LA that Kawhi Leonard will take the floor and if that’s the case then grabbing the current price on LA will represent terrific value once the market adjusts to his availability.

That’s all for our Clippers vs Suns Betting Odds preview. Be sure to check back for all the NBA latest scores and pre-game analysis right here at PointSpreads.com.

For NBA betting news, odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.

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