Zachary Engberg
2 min read • February 16, 2023
Posted in
This final matchup before the 2023 All-Star game pits the rising Clippers against the new-look Suns, who are still waiting for Kevin Durant to return to the court.
Phoenix enters on a two-game win streak and are 7-3 in their last 10, while the Clippers beat the Warriors Tuesday after losses to the Bucks and Mavericks.
After a slow and sometimes painful first two months of the season while managing Kawhi Leonard and Paul George’s recoveries, the Clippers are 9-4 with 119.1 points and a plus-5.23 differential since January 20th when George finally returned from a hamstring strain.
Los Angeles, 32-28, is 18-9 overall with Leonard and George this season and lost to the Suns, 112-95, in the third game of the season, although both rosters are drastically different since.
The two-time Finals MVP has averaged 28.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 2.7 steals-plus-blocks on .529/.494/.918 shooting splits in 36.5 minutes over his last 16 games and has missed only three games in that span.
The Clippers acquired Eric Gordon, Bones Hyland, and Mason Plumlee to shore up their second unit that will be without sixth man Normal Powell on Thursday.
Third-year guard Terance Mann won a starting spot from Reggie Jackson – who was subsequently traded – in early January, and Mann has averaged 13.2 points, five rebounds, and 2.8 assists on .600/.526/.900 splits in the last six games.
The Clippers have been one of the best teams on the road this season, going 17-15 overall and against the spread and posting a 20-12 over/under record (versus 6-22 over/under at Crypto.com).
The No. 4 Suns (32-27) are in holding position at least through the all-star break as newly-acquired Kevin Durant continues to recover from a January 8th sprained right MCL.
The 34-year-old seven-footer and scoring wing T.J. Warren were swapped for 3-and-D forwards Mikal Bridges and Cameron Johnson late last Wednesday and the Suns are 2-1 since the deal with 114.67 points scored, 109.67 points allowed, 27.3 assists, and 13 steals on 49.4% shooting.
Fifth-year guard Josh Okogie has once again filled in while Durant, Landry Shamet, and Cameron Payne remain out, averaging 20.3 points on 13.3 shots with 5.3 rebounds and two steals in 35.6 minutes the last three games.
All-star guard Devin Booker returned on February 7th from his Christmas groin injury and has 24 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists on 49.1% shooting while working under a 25-to-30 minute restriction.
Nimble center DeAndre Ayton has averaged 23.8 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 1.8 steals-plus-blocks on 16.1 field goal attempts since January 26th, taking advantage of the open opportunities helped by Paul’s return in late-January from a hip injury.
Phoenix is 20-9 overall and 17-12 ATS at home and are bottom-four in the NBA with a 12-17 over/under record.
The Suns are favored by 1.5 points at home and the over/under is 224, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. The Clippers money line is at +100, while the Suns are -118 to win outright.
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Written by Zachary Engberg
