Clippers-Suns NBA Spread, Over/Under and Prop Bets
The Clippers and Suns, who face off Thursday night for the third time this year, would be matched up in a first-round playoff series based on the current standings.
Fourth-place Phoenix won the first two meetings of the season series on the road against fifth-place Los Angeles by nearly identical scores: 112-95 in October and 111-95 in December. Kawhi Leonard did not play in either game, though, and Paul George only appeared in one. Both Clippers All-Stars will be available when they take the court at Footprint Center and the only player on the injury report for L.A. is Norman Powell (rest).
The Suns will be without Cam Payne (foot), Landry Shamet (foot) and Kevin Durant (knee), who the team acquired in a blockbuster deal at the trade deadline. Phoenix is 2–1 since the trade and beat Sacramento on Tuesday in its first home game in nearly two weeks.
The Clippers carry some momentum into the matchup, having downed the Warriors 134-124 on Tuesday.
Gary A. Vasquez/USA Today Sports
Los Angeles Clippers vs. Phoenix Suns Odds
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET | ESPN
Spread: Clippers +2.5 (-133) | Suns -2.5 (+110)
Moneyline: LAC (-110) | PHX (-110)
Total: 223.5 — Over (-110) | Under (-110)
Clippers Betting Profile
Straight-Up Record: 32–28
Against The Spread Record: 30–30
Over/Under Record: 26–34
Points Per Game (Rank): 111.4 (27)
Points Allowed Per Game (Rank): 111.2 (4)
Suns Betting Profile
Straight-Up Record: 32–27
Against The Spread Record: 32–27
Over/Under Record: 27–31–1
Points Per Game (Rank): 112.8 (22)
Points Allowed Per Game (Rank): 111.2 (5)
Spread Bet: Clippers +2.5 (-133)
L.A. has the second-best winning percentage of any team in the Western Conference in away games. And its mark against the spread on the road is an identical 17–15, the eighth-best mark in the NBA. With George and Leonard in the lineup, the Clippers are 18–9 this season and are 8–2 over their last 10 when they share the court.
Phoenix’s home record (20–9) and record against the spread in front of its fans (17–12) are both impressive marks, but Los Angeles had the edge in top-end talent in this particular contest and has the better defense with which to limit Chris Paul and Devin Booker from taking over the game.
Paul, Booker and Deandre Ayton were largely held in check in the previous matchups, but the Clippers didn’t have enough on offense to keep pace. Now, with their trade deadline acquisitions (Eric Gordon, Bones Hyland and Mason Plumlee) providing a boost off the bench, they should have enough on that side of the ball to keep this game close, if not win it outright.
Over/Under Bet: Under 223.5 (-110)
Both previous meetings between the Clippers and Suns went under the set point totals, both of which were set well below Thursday’s total. The over/under for the first game was 219 and just 207 points were scored; the total dipped to 218.5 in the second matchup and the teams combined for 206 points. Now, with both teams closer to full strength, sans Durant, the expectation is for more offense, but the season-long trends for the home team don’t necessarily spell that out.
The under is 6–2–2 for Phoenix over its last 10 and the over hit rate in home games is just above 41%, the fourth-lowest percentage in the NBA. Los Angeles games hit the over more than 62% when it’s on the road, tied for the third-highest rate in the league. And over its last 10, the over is 6–4 for L.A.
For the season, both teams are in the bottom half of the league in offensive rating and they both rank in the top 11 in defensive rating. Expect a slugfest in the desert between these two playoff teams.
Prop Bet: Paul George Points + Rebounds Over 25.5 (-133)
George has gone over this combined total in three of six games so far in February and he did so twice on points alone. His season averages of 23.2 points and 6.1 rebounds per game put him well over 25.5 points and boards, which is why you’re getting less than even odds for this wager. George did not play well in his one game against Phoenix this season as he scored just 16 and corralled four rebounds in a loss.
The Suns aren’t a particularly dominant team on the glass and George should have an easier time scoring with Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson, Phoenix’s top two wing defenders, now in Brooklyn as part of the Durant deal.
