Very interesting duel between the fourth and fifth of the West, with the 1st Round clash between Phoenix Suns and LA Clippers. Beyond the probable low of paul georgeat least for the beginning of the series, seems to unbalance the cross in favor of the Arizona team, it is undoubtedly one of the matchups more interesting offered by this first instance of the postseason.
The Suns rocked the market with the incorporation of Kevin Durant in the deadline and beyond their fourth place in the West, if they are healthy, they are the big favorite to represent the Conference in the 2023 Finals. The Clippers, for their part, have to deal with the usual: a team that promisesbut that at the moment of truth, it has fundamental lows.
What can you expect from the cross between the Suns and Clippers? All the details, below.
CALENDAR | TV AND STREAMING | SUNS | CLIPPERS | SERIES KEY | FORECASTS
Phoenix Suns vs. LA Clippers: 2023 NBA Playoffs Series Schedule
| Broken | 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 necessary
How and where to see the series between Phoenix Suns vs. LA Clippers for the 2023 NBA Playoffs?
- TV channels:
- Argentina: ESPN, DSports and NBA TV
- Spain: MDeportes, Let’s go
- Mexico: ESPN y NBA TV
- USA: ESPN, ABC, TNT y NBA TV
- Streaming:
- Argentina: Star+, DGo and NBA League Pass
- Spain: Movistar Plus+ y NBA League Pass
- Mexico: Star+ y NBA League Pass
- USA: NBA League Pass
Phoenix Suns in the 2022-2023 season: statistics and data
- Record: 45-37 (4th in the Western Conference)
- Attack: 115.1 points per 100 possessions (14th)
- Defending: 113 points every 100 possessions (7th)
- starting quintet: Chris Paul, Devin Booker, Josh Okogie, Kevin Durant y Deandre Ayton.
- Coach: Monty Williams.
- Leaders:
- Points: Devin Booker (27,8)
- bounces: Deandre Ayton (10)
- Assists: Chris Paul (8,9)
- Thefts: Chris Paul (1,5)
- plugs: Bismack Biyombo (1,4)
- Field Percentage: Deandre Ayton (58,9%)
- Three point percentage: Kevin Durant (53,7%)
LA Clippers in the 2022-2023 season: statistics and data
- Record: 44-38 (5th in the Western Conference)
- Attack: 115 points every 100 possessions (16th)
- Defending: 114.5 points per 100 possessions (18th)
- starting quintet: Russell Westbrook, Eric Gordon (Paul George)Kawhi Leonard, Marcus Morris and Ivica Zubac.
- Coach: You Lou.
- Leaders:
- Points: Paul George (23,8)
- bounces: Ivica Zubac (9.9)
- Assists: Russell Westbrook (7,6)
- Thefts: Paul George (1,5)
- plugs: Ivica Zubac (1,3)
- Field Percentage: 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 will have to transform overnight into a defensive elite team. Something that may seem like a utopia for a group that ended ranked 18th in that categorybut which is a little more probable when analyzing the tools at your disposalwith real specialists.
If they’re not that team, the Suns will crush them, with a starting five that’s one of the most complete and talented that have been seen in attack in recent years in the league. Two machines like Booker and Durant, one of the best passers in history like Paul and a super effective interior like Ayton. The lucidity and defensive energy of the Clippers must 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: to a large extent, the lesions. When Leonard and George were brought together on the field, they allowed only 112 points every 100 possessions. In any other alignment with one or none of them, that figure rose to 115.7. Not a positive sign at all, considering that PG13 is injured and ruled out for the first games.
Basically, each Clippers player will have to bring out his best defensive version. Kawhi with Durant, Gordon, George or Mann with Booker, Westbrook and Zubac (CP3 will seek to attack him in the pick and roll) with Paul. Angelenos are normally a bad team when it comes to generating losses in rivals (ranked 24th in that regard), but they’ll have to do it against a Phoenix offense that doesn’t often miss when shooting rims: lineups with Paul, Booker, Durant and Ayton add up to a field percentage of 52.6%. A mere launch by the Suns attack is already a defeat for the rival.
Will the Clippers have that defensive gear they haven’t shown so far? Without her, Phoenix will move forward without a problem.
Phoenix Suns vs. LA Clippers: Predictions, bets, odds, odds, picks and results
For bookmakers, the Phoenix Suns victory pays just 1.18 to 1 (-555)while that of Clippers pays 5.25 to 1 (+425).
For their part, the most likely outcomes for the series are as follows:
| Result | Quota / Odd | Probability |
|---|---|---|
| Suns 4-1 | 3.10 | +210 | 32.3% |
| Suns 4-2 | 4.50 | +350 | 22.2% |
| Suns 4-0 | 4.90 | +390 | 20.4% |
| Suns 4-3 | 5.25 | +425 | 19.1% |
| Clippers 4-2 | 12.00 | +1100 | 8.3% |
For their part, these are the Sporting News NBA staff predictions for the series between the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks.
- Leandro Fernandez: Suns a 6.
- Agustin Aboy: Suns a 6.
- Juan Estevez: Suns a 6.
- Sergio Rabinal: Suns a 7.
