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Even without All-Star Paul George, the Los Angeles Clippers upset the Suns in Phoenix in Game 1 of their Western Conference playoff series. Can the Clips do it again without George in Game 2 on Tuesday? The Suns are solid favorites on the NBA odds.

Clippers vs. Suns, Game 2 | 2023 NBA Playoff Expert Analysis

How to Bet LA Clippers at Phoenix NBA Odds & TV Info

When: Tuesday, 10 PM ET
Where: Footprint Center
TV: TNT
Stream: TNT app
Radio: Tunein.com
NBA Odds: Suns -7.5 (total 226)

Why Bet on LA Clippers?

All-Star Paul George is progressing well in recovering from a right knee sprain, but he’s unlikely to play in the Clippers’ first round series against the Suns. Since arriving in LA in 2019, he’s averaged just over 47 games played per season, so no real shock that George is hurt again.

Kawhi Leonard was spectacular in the 115-110 win in Game 1 with 38 points, five rebounds and five assists. He played a season-high 42 minutes. Russell Westbrook shot 3-of-19 from the floor, scoring nine points, but recorded eight assists, 10 rebounds, two steals and three blocks. His poor shooting hurt the Clippers during a 25-point Phoenix turnaround that drained a 16-point Clippers lead and had the Suns up nine points in the third quarter. But Westbrook made all of the other plays in an impactful fourth quarter, especially in the last three minutes of the game with the Clippers clinging to a 100-99 lead.

The NBA is investigating an altercation between Westbrook and a Suns fan that took place at halftime but the chances of Westbrook being suspended for the incident are “extremely slim,” according to Turner Sports. A video posted to social media showed Westbrook confronting the fan in an exclusive lounge for Suns season ticket holders.

Ivica Zubac had 12 points and 15 rebounds. Zubac platooned with Mason Plumlee for most of the game, but he ultimately bested his teammate with more points and rebounds. The Clippers have scored over 100 points in 39 of their last 42 contests. Since January 6, the Clippers are fifth in the NBA in offensive rating (118.2) and tied for second in 3P% (39.2).

The key stats for the Clippers were second-chance points and offensive rebounds. The Clippers had a 15-6 advantage on the offensive glass, nullifying the fact that the Suns won the turnover battle 14-10, while outscoring the Suns 12-7 on second-chance points.

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MyBookie Betting Lines for the Game

Why Bet on Phoenix?

Kevin Durant shot 7-of-15 from the field and 10-of-10 from the foul line in Sunday’s loss to finish with 27 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds. Durant’s Suns’ playoff debut didn’t result in a win, but that had more to do with the Clippers’ reserves outperforming their Suns’ counterparts than KD. He finished the game one rebound shy of a triple-double while committing just one turnover.

While Devin Booker (one rebound, three assists, four steals, and three blocked shots) scored 26 on 10-of-19 shooting from the field and 6-of-8 from the foul line, he was also responsible for five of the Suns’ 10 turnovers on the night. No other Suns player had more than one. Booker became the eighth guard in NBA history to record 4+ blocks and 3+ steals in a playoff game in Game 1 on Sunday and is just the fourth player in franchise history to do so, joining Charles Barkley, Gar Hears and Alvan Adams.

There were some signs that the team is still working out its chemistry with Durant on the court, most notably Booker’s hesitation to make a play on the Suns’ penultimate possession before being told to go by his star teammate.

Chris Paul had seven points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for his first career double-double that didn’t include assists. Torrey Craig had a season-high 22 points. But the Suns were also exposed by two of their primary weaknesses. Their bench was outscored 34-10, and the Clippers made 10-of-31 three-point shots on the evening, including a few devastating treys late in the fourth quarter.

For the first time in the Monty Williams era, the Suns are down 0-1 in a playoff series. Phoenix was previously 6-0 in Game 1s, all at home, before Sunday’s loss. It was also the first loss suffered by Durant as a member of the Suns’ lineup. While their defensive tenacity and rim protection was excellent in the second half, their offense struggled down the stretch.

“I thought we played really slow,” Williams said Monday. “Our start was slow, the ball movement wasn’t where it needs to be. They had some weird lineups out there and weird matchups and we just didn’t identify it fast enough on the fly. And that’s on me to get us in those spots to take advantage of it. … 19 3s in a game like that — that’s way too low.”

The Suns hold an all-time record of 24-37 in Game 2’s of the NBA Playoffs, including 18-11 at home. The last time the Suns found themselves trailing in a series within the first three games was in Round 1 of the 2021 Playoffs against the Lakers (trailed 2-1), before going on to win that series 4-2.

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MyBookie Betting Lines for the Game