The Phoenix Suns (39-42) will the regular season comes to a close when they go head-to-head against the Los Angeles Clippers (54-26) at the US Airways Center. Action begins at 10:30 pm ET on Tuesday, Apr. 14 and can be seen on TNT and FSN-PT.
The Suns are are hoping for a better outcome after their 107-91 loss to the Spurs on Sunday. Despite the loss, Eric Bledsoe earned his 13th double-double this season with 20 points and 10 assists. The Clippers, meanwhile, are coming off a 94-86 win against the Grizzlies on Saturday. DeAndre Jordan claimed his 45th double-double of the season with 16 points and 16 rebounds.
Over the last five games, a number of players have upped their production for the Clippers. Jordan has led the way, averaging 13.4 points, 15.8 rebounds, 1.0 assist, 1.6 steals, and 2.0 blocks. J.J. Redick (21.4 PTS, 2.6 REB, 1.0 AST, 0.6 STL, and 3.4 3PM) and Chris Paul (21.0 PTS, 4.8 REB, 13.0 AST, 2.2 STL, and 2.2 3PM) have also been notable.
The Clippers have emerged victorious in all three games against the Suns this year, including a decisive 120-100 victory in their last matchup. Chris Paul put up a double-double in the victory with 23 points and 12 assists.
The odds for Phoenix and Los Angeles are even, while the Over/Under (O/U) is unavailable as of now. The Suns come into this game 39-42 Straight Up (SU) and 41-37-3 Against The Spread (ATS). They are 6-9 SU and 7-7-1 ATS against divisional opponents. The Suns have seen a decline in scoring as of late, averaging 89.5 points during the last 10 games compared to their season average of 102.4 points per game.
As for their opponent, the Clippers have 54-26 SU and 37-43 ATS records. Against fellow division members, Los Angeles has an 11-4 SU and an 8-7 ATS record. Offensively, they average 106.6 points per game, which is good for second in the league. The Clippers convert their three-pointers at a high percentage, ranking third in the league at .376. The Clippers are the better of the two teams when it comes to assist-to-turnover ratio, leading the NBA at 2.10.
With the Clippers’ last win against Phoenix, their SU record is now 8-2 over the Suns in the last 10 meetings. The Clippers also lead the matchup ATS with a record of 6-4. Los Angeles held the advantage in field goals, rebounds, and three-pointers two times in the last 10 matchups. On the other side of the court, Phoenix never accomplished this feat in that span.
Predictions: SU Winner – LAC, ATS Winner – LAC
Notes
Phoenix ranks 11th in points per game with 102.4, while Los Angeles ranks 16th in points allowed with an average of 100.1 given up.
Los Angeles ranks first in points allowed per road game (102.3 PPG), while Phoenix ranks 12th in points per home game with 102.7.
When allowing fewer than 100 points, the Suns are 21-9 on the season. When the Clippers score fewer than 100, they are a poor 8-14.
The Phoenix Suns have a losing 18-33 record in games where they have allowed at least 100 points. The Los Angeles Clippers are 46-12 when they hit triple digits.
The Clippers have a defensive rating of 102.7 (ranked 16th). The Suns rank 15th for their offensive rating of 102.5.
The Phoenix Suns average 100.0 possessions per game and 1.025 points per possession, while the Los Angeles Clippers earn fewer possessions (97.5) but more points per possession (1.094).
Los Angeles has an average effective field goal percentage of 53.3% (ranked second in the league}. Phoenix is a subpar 4-13 when opponents have a similar or higher effective field goal percentage.
The Phoenix Suns average 25.0 three point attempts per game and are 20-28 when attempting at least 25 in a game. The Los Angeles Clippers average 26.8 attempts and have a solid record (36-16) when attempting 25 or more.
The Los Angeles Clippers top the league in assist to turnover ratio this season with an A/TO of 2.10. The Phoenix Suns have an A/TO of 1.39 (ranked 27th).
The Phoenix Suns rebound 43.2 times per game and are ranked 17th. Ranked 20th, the Los Angeles Clippers rebound 42.5 times per game.
The Los Angeles Clippers rank 28th in offensive rebounding, while the Phoenix Suns rank 14th in defensive rebounding.
Phoenix ranks 10th in forced turnovers with an average rate of 15.0%. Los Angeles has an 8-7 record when they suffer a turnover rate equal to or exceeding this.
