Two of the favorites in the Western Conference will meet for the first time early in this NBA season when the Phoenix Suns travel to L.A. to face the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday night.
Phoenix got an impressive opening night victory over the Dallas Mavericks before falling in overtime to the surprising Portland Trail Blazers. Los Angeles got road wins over the Lakers and Kings to start the season. Who will win this NBA odds pick'em?
Find out in our free NBA betting picks and predictions for the Suns vs. Clippers on Sunday, October 23.
Suns vs Clippers best odds
Suns vs Clippers picks and predictions
The Clippers' opening game of the season saw the return of two NBA superstars that have not seen action in multiple years. Kawhi Leonard played his first game since getting injured in the 2021 playoffs. John Wall saw his first action since April of 2021 when he got shut down for a tanking Houston Rockets team.
Both players sat out last night’s game in Sacramento to rest up for L.A.'s back-to-back tonight. This will also be the true home opener, as its opening night game was a home game for the Lakers. Clippers fans have been yearning to see Leonard back in action and they won’t be disappointed.
Since, joining the Clips in 2019, Leonard has owned the Suns. He averages 23.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.5 steals per game in six games. The Clippers are both 4-2 straight up and 4-2 against the spread in those six games. His return will be a big boost to a Los Angeles team that just needs that little bit extra to climb the hump into being a championship contender.
Leonard and Wall only played 22 and 25 minutes, respectively, in the opening game, but they made huge impacts. Leonard went for 14 points, seven rebounds, two assists, and a steal, while Wall went for 15 points, four rebounds, three assists, and a steal.
Paul George slipped into a different role with the return of these two superstars, as he only had 15 points, but he contributed in other ways with 10 rebounds, four assists, two steals, and a plus/minus of +14. Without Wall and Leonard against Sacramento, George went off for 40 points, six rebounds, six assists, two steals, and a block.
The Clippers have found ways to win regardless of their lineup. Wall and Leonard should return after having the night off, and even though they will come off the bench, they will make a massive impact. I like them to remain undefeated and put away the Suns late in the game.
My best bet: Clippers moneyline (-104 at FanDuel)
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Suns vs Clippers spread analysis
The Suns have started this season with two tough-fought contests. They found themselves down 17 points at halftime to the Mavericks before making an incredible comeback to win by two. Their second game was a little bit of the opposite. They were up six points at halftime on the Trail Blazers before losing by two points in overtime.
Phoenix could be without a key contributor tonight, as starter Cameron Johnson is questionable with a hip injury. This will put a ton of pressure on Chris Paul, Devin Booker, and Deandre Ayton to put on a show tonight in Los Angeles.
Depth will be the key factor tonight and that advantage belongs to the Clippers. The Suns may be able to jump out to an early lead with the starters, but L.A. will wear them down and finish stronger to get the win at home and cover the spread.
Suns vs Clippers Over/Under analysis
At first glance, most people would assume that the Suns and Clippers are heavy on offense with not a ton of defense. However, that is not the case. The Suns have the eighth-best defense to start this season. Meanwhile, the Clippers only average 107.0 points per game, which ranks 27th in the NBA.
On the other end, the Clippers only allow 103.0 points per game (fifth best) and the Suns score 109.0 points per game, which ranks 20th in the league. The Under is 4-0 in their last four meetings and 5-1 in the last six meetings in Los Angeles. Also, the Under is 4-0 in the Phoenix's last four road games.
This game will certainly be competitive, but it won’t be a shootout. I like both teams to creep into the 100s late and unless we get a scenario of multiple overtimes, the Under should be a relatively safe bet.
Suns vs Clippers betting trend to know
The Under is 4-0 in Suns' last 4 road games. Find more NBA betting trends for Suns vs. Clippers.
Suns vs Clippers game info
| Location: | Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA |
| Date: | Sunday, October 23, 2022 |
| Tip-off: | 10:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | Bally Sports |
