LA Clippers vs. Phoenix Suns Point Spread Pick

Los Angeles Clippers (44-38 SU, 41-41-1 ATS) vs. Phoenix Suns (45-37 SU, 43-38-2 ATS)
When: Tuesday, April 18th, 10:00 PM (ET)
Where: Footprint Center, AZ, Phoenix
TV: TNT

Point Spread: LAL +7.5/Pho -7.5
Total: 225.5
Money Line: Los Angeles Clippers +263/-335

Notable Injuries

Clippers

• Paul George (Out) Knee

Suns

• Cameron Payne (Questionable) Lower Back

Recent Form

Heading into the game, Los Angeles is 44-38 overall. When taking to the road, Los Angeles has a mark of 21-20 and a win percentage of 51%. Currently, the team is 5th in the Western Conference. So far, they are 41-41-1 vs. the spread. In their matchup against Phoenix, the Los Angeles Clippers have won 4 straight games and will look to push that mark to 5 in a row.

After their win against the Suns, Los Angeles will be looking to continue their momentum. Kawhi Leonard had a big game, scoring 38 points to help lead the team to victory. As 7-point underdogs on the spread, the Clippers were able to come away with an ATS win

Heading into the game, Phoenix is 45-37 overall. When playing at home, Phoenix has a mark of 28-13 and a win percentage of 68%. Currently, the team is 4th in the Western Conference. So far, they are 43-38-2 vs. the spread. The Suns need a win in today’s matchup vs. Los Angeles to avoid their 4th straight loss.

In their last game, Phoenix was defeated by Clippers with a score of 115-110. Despite Kevin Durant scoring 27 points, the team was unable to come out on top. Going into the game, the Suns were 7-point favorites.

The Historicals

In the most recent matchup between the two teams, the Clippers picked up the win 115-110 win over the Suns. Heading into the game, Los Angeles was the 7.5-point underdogs, giving them an ATS win. So far this season, the Clippers have a record of 3-2 vs. the Suns. Spanning across the last five head-to-head matchups, the Clippers, and Suns have been competitive, with an average margin of victory sitting at just -2 points per game. This has resulted in a 3-2 ATS record for Phoenix. In these contests, they averaged a combined 218 points per game, leading to an over-under mark of 2-3.

Analysis

This year, the Los Angeles offense is not only near the NBA average in points at 113.6 points per game, but they are also playing at a pace similar to the league average. So far, the Clippers are ranked 20th in possessions per contest. Los Angeles heads into the game as one of the top 3-point shooting teams in terms of percentage. So far, they have hit 38.1% of their looks from deep. However, they are currently ranked just 25th in 3-point attempts per contest. Defensively, the Clippers have been one of the best units in the NBA, allowing just 108.39 points per game. So far, they have done an excellent job defending the 3-point arc, allowing teams to hit just 34.31%.

Paul George will not be available for today’s game in Los Angeles due to an injury, as reported on the injury report. This means that Kawhi Leonard will need to step up and take on the role of primary scorer for the team. This year, Leonard has been averaging 23.8 points per game for the Clippers.

Coming into the game, Phoenix’s offense is ranked just 24th in scoring at 113.6 points per game. This has come while being the 19th-ranked unit in pace. So far, the Suns are averaging 98.0 possessions per contest. Phoenix heads into the game as one of the top 3-point shooting teams in terms of percentage. So far, they have hit 37.4% of their looks from deep. However, they are currently ranked just 28th in 3-point attempts per contest. Defensively, the Suns have been one of the best units in the NBA, allowing just 107.33 points per game. So far, they have done an excellent job defending the 3-point arc, allowing teams to hit just 33.88%.

Coming into today’s game, Devin Booker is the leading scorer for Phoenix at 27.8 points per game. This season, Booker has a field goal percentage of 49.4%. The team’s second-leading scorer is Kevin Durant at 29.1 points per contest.

Betting Trends

• The Clippers are 4-10 ATS in their last 14 games playing on one days rest.
• The Clippers are 2-5 ATS in their last seven road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
• The Suns are 10-4 ATS in their last 14 Tuesday games.
• The Suns are 5-2 ATS in their last seven games playing on one day of rest.

Joes Pick To Cover The Spread

I liked the Suns in Game 1, and it didn’t work out. I’m betting them again based on the very same principles. Suns -7.5.