Preview: Suns Face Clippers in Rematch

The Phoenix Suns are playing a quick one-game road trip.

Oct 28, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (3) and Devin Booker (1) against the Los Angeles Lakers at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

PHOENIX -- The Phoenix Suns (3-1) will look to continue the momentum of a fast start tonight as they once again face the Los Angeles Clippers (2-2) at the Intuit Dome - just over a week after opening the season there.

The Clippers remain a challenging opponent on a game-to-game basis despite being without Kawhi Leonard - having beaten the Denver Nuggets and Golden State Warriors on the road in a back-to-back games this weekend prior to dropping a game to the Portland Trail Blazers last night.

The Clippers will be without Leonard as previously mentioned, along with Mo Bamba and P.J. Tucker. Phoenix will once again be sans Josh Okogie - and Bradley Beal is questionable with what has turned from right elbow soreness to an elbow sprain.

A major matchup to watch going into tonight is the rapidly rising Ivica Zubac against the Suns' frontcourt array.

Zubac had an off game last night, but is still averaging 18.5 PPG and 13.5 RPG four games in. This will be a tricky matchup - especially with Jusuf Nurkic struggling in three of four games this season. Perhaps this is a game where Mason Plumlee - who spent the two previous seasons with the Clippers - can make his mark in an extended run.

The Ty Lue-Mike Budenholzer chess match will also be worthy of paying attention to. Lue is one of the strongest in-game adjusters in the NBA, as was seen in the previous matchup in game one of the season. Budenholzer is one of the most accomplished and consistent voices of a locker room through the course of a regular season - the level-headed approach was evident in the unlikely comeback victory for Phoenix in the same game.

Whether this game ends in victory for Phoenix or not comes down to three things - turnovers, three-point volume, and rebounding.

Phoenix ranks right in the middle of the league with 14.8 turnovers per contest - the caveat is that the Suns have been fairly secure with the ball outside of the previous matchup with the Clippers - where they ceded an eye-popping 22 turnovers. If the core of the offense can take care of the ball, it severely narrows the paths to victory for Lue.

The ultimate key to taking down L.A. last week was the discrepancy in three-point volume - shooting nine more from behind the arc and hitting seven more, including numerous clutch looks from Beal. If the Suns can continue to exploit the gap in shooting talent, they will be in great shape to come out with a victory.

Lastly, the Suns need to at the very least remain in the same ballpark as L.A. in the rebounding department.

Part of Zubac's rise this season has been an even more refined ability to crash the glass - leading the Clippers to a top 5 spot in the NBA in total rebounds and being top 10 in offensive rebounding, leading to many second-chance opportunities for James Harden to take advantage of.

Nurkic, Plumlee, and even Oso Ighodaro need to take the mantle of volume rebounders on tonight to limit as many chances for Harden/Norman Powell to score as possible - while also creating more opportunities for their potent offense.

Suns-Clippers are set to tip off shortly after 7:30 P.M. Arizona time tonight and will be broadcast locally on AZ Family.