Very interesting duel between fourth and fifth in the West, with the 1st Round clash between Phoenix Suns and LA Clippers. Beyond possible low by Paul Georgeat least for the beginning of the series, it seems to balance the passing in favor of the Arizona team, it is undoubtedly one of the correspondences more interesting offered by this first phase of the postseason.
The Suns shook up the market with the embedding Kevin Durant in deadline and beyond their fourth place in the West, if they are healthy, they are the great favorite to represent the Conference in the 2023 Finals. The Clippers, for their part, have to deal with the usual: a promising teambut that at the moment of truth, it has fundamental lows.
What can you expect from the Suns and Clippers matchup? All the details, below.
CALENDAR | TV AND STREAMING | ILIOUS | CLIPPER | ROW KEY | FORECASTS
Phoenix Suns vs. LA Clippers Schedule: 2023 NBA Playoff Series
| Game | Day | Time (MX | ET | AR | ES) | Local | Visitor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunday, April 16 | To confirm | suns | Clippers |
| 2 | To confirm | To confirm | suns | Clippers |
| 3 | To confirm | To confirm | Clippers | suns |
| 4 | To confirm | To confirm | Clippers | suns |
| 5* | To confirm | To confirm | suns | Clippers |
| 6* | To confirm | To confirm | Clippers | suns |
| 7* | To confirm | To confirm | suns | Clippers |
* If it is necessary
How and where to watch the series between Phoenix Suns vs. LA Clippers for NBA Playoffs 2023?
- TV channels:
- Argentina: ESPN, DSports and NBA TV
- Spain: mSports, let’s go
- Mexico: ESPN and NBA TV
- USA: ESPN, ABC, TNT and NBA TV
- Flow:
- Argentina: Star+, DGo and NBA League Pass
- Spain: Movistar Plus+ and NBA League Pass
- Mexico: Star+ and NBA League Pass
- USA: NBA League Pass
Phoenix Suns 2022-2023 season: stats and facts
- Record: 45-37 (4th in Western Conference)
- Stroke: 115.1 points per 100 possessions (14th)
- Defense: 113 points per 100 possessions (7th)
- original quintet: Chris Paul, Devin Booker, Josh Okogie, Kevin Durant and Deandre Ayton.
- Coach: Monty Williams.
- Leaders:
- Points: Devin Booker (27.8)
- bounces: Deandre Ayton (10)
- It helps: Chris Paul (8.9)
- Thefts: Chris Paul (1.5)
- plugs: Bismack Biyombo (1.4)
- Field rate: Deandre Ayton (58.9%)
- Three-point percentage: Kevin Durant (53.7%)
LA Clippers in the 2022-2023 season: stats and facts
- Record: 44-38 (5th in Western Conference)
- Stroke: 115 points every 100 possessions (16th)
- Defense: 114.5 points per 100 possessions (18th)
- original quintet: Russell Westbrook Eric Gordon (Paul George)Kawhi Leonard, Marcus Morris and Ivica Zubac.
- Coach: Ty Lue.
- Leaders:
- Points: Paul George (23.8)
- bounces: Ivica Zubac (9.9)
- It helps: Russell Westbrook (7.6)
- Thefts: Paul George (1.5)
- plugs: Ivica Zubac (1,3)
- Field rate: Mason Plumlee (72.7%)
- Three-point percentage: Eric Gordon (42.3%)
Phoenix Suns vs. LA Clippers: the key to the series
If the Clippers want to be competitive in this seriesthey should be transformed overnight into a elite defense team. Which might seem like utopia for a team that’s finished ranked 18th in this categorybut which is a little more likely when analyzing it tools at your disposalwith real experts.
If it’s not this team, the Suns will crush them, with a starting five that is one of them most complete and talented offensively seen in recent years in the league. Two machines like Booker and Durant, one of the best passers in history like Paul and a super efficient interior like Ayton. The clarity and defensive energy of the Clippers should be 100% charged throughout the series.
But if they have so many specialists like Kawhi, eventually George, Zubac, Batum, Mann and several others, how come the Angelenos were not a good defense during the Regular Season? The answer is the same as so many other times for them: largely, the damages. When Leonard and George got together on the field, they only allowed it 112 points every 100 possessions. In any other alignment with one or none of these, this percentage rose to 115.7. Not a good sign considering PG13 is injured and ruled out for the first few games.
Basically, every player on the Clippers should be at their best defensively. Kawhi with Durant, Gordon, George or Mann with Booker, Westbrook and Zubac (CP3 will try to attack him in pick and roll) with Paul. Angelenos are normally a bad team when it comes to creating losses on opponents (ranked 24th in that regard), but will have to do so against a Phoenix offense that doesn’t miss often when shooting rims: Paul, Booker, Durant and Ayton lineups add up field rate 52.6%. A simple launch by the Suns is already a defeat for the opponent.
Will the Clippers have that defensive gear they haven’t shown so far? Without her, Phoenix will proceed without a problem.
Phoenix Suns vs. LA Clippers: Predictions, Betting, Odds, Odds, Picks and Results
For bookmakers, the Phoenix Suns win pays just 1.18 to 1 (-555)while that of Clippers pay 5.25 to 1 (+425).
On their part, the likely results for the series are as follows:
| Result | Quota / Single | Chance |
|---|---|---|
| Chances 4-1 | 3.10 | +210 | 32.3% |
| Chance 4-2 | 4.50 | +350 | 22.2% |
| Chance 4-0 | 4.90 | +390 | 20.4% |
| Suns 4-3 | 5.25 | +425 | 19.1% |
| Clippers 4-2 | 12:00 | +1100 | 8.3% |
From their side, these are the NBA Sporting News staff predictions for the series between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the New York Knicks.
- Leandro Fernandez: Suns at 6.
- Augustine Aboy: Suns at 6.
- Juan Esteves: Suns at 6.
- Sergio Rabinal: Suns at 7.
