The Phoenix Suns (46-32, 6th in Western Conference) welcome the Los Angeles Clippers (50-28, 4th in Western Conference) to Footprint Center tonight for their final regular season home game.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Right after this game, the Suns will travel to Los Angeles and take on the Clippers again on Wednesday.
With only four games left, every game is now important for Phoenix coming off a 113-105 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans Sunday. The Suns and Pelicans are now tied for the sixth seed in the Western Conference with Phoenix having the head-to-head tiebreaker. The Kings are also one game behind Phoenix with their remaining matchup on Friday determining the tiebreaker. The Lakers are 1.5 games back of the Suns and Pelicans and own the head-to-head tiebreaker over Phoenix. The Warriors are three games behind Phoenix, while the Suns own the tiebreaker over them.
The Suns and Clippers two teams have not played since Jan. 8, a 138-111 beatdown by the Clippers in Los Angeles. This is still Phoenix’s worst loss by margin of defeat this season.
Los Angeles has gone 3-1 in this stretch without Leonard, including a 120-118 comeback victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers Sunday that was highlighted by a Paul George game-winner.
Local Game Information
Start Time: 7:00 p.m. MST
Location: Footprint Center
TV Channel: AZ Family/3TV
Radio:Â Arizona Sports 98.7 FM, La Mejor 106.5 FM
Stream:Â Suns Live (click for more info)
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) April 9, 2024
Betting Odds
Line: PHX -8.5
O/U:Â 226.5
Injury Report
Phoenix Suns: Jusuf Nurkić (right ankle sprain) QUESTIONABLE | Damion Lee (right meniscus surgery) OUT
Los Angeles Clippers: Kawhi Leonard (right knee inflammation) OUT | Daniel Theis (left thumb sprain) QUESTIONABLE | Joshua Primo (left ankle sprain) OUT
Starters (Projected)
Phoenix Suns: Devin Booker, Bradley Beal, Grayson Allen, Kevin Durant, Jusuf Nurkić/Drew Eubanks
Los Angeles Clippers: James Harden, Terance Mann, Paul George, P.J. Tucker, Ivica Zubac
Five Keys to Game for Suns
- Limiting turnovers
- Defensive focus
- Ball movement
- Focus
- Rebounding
Prediction
Suns 120 – Clippers 112
The Suns simply can not let another game slip away like they did against New Orleans. However, this game against Los Angeles is a lot different, as the Suns enter tonight as the desperate team needing every win they can get, while the Clippers can afford a loss and are coming off a good stretch of games. The Suns certainly did not play the worst against New Orleans, they just lost because of the grit the Pelicans played with and some good looks just not falling late in the game.
With the Clippers having had the Suns’ number the first two games this season, this will not be an easy game by any measure even without Kawhi Leonard. The Suns need to continue the good habits they have shown over the past few contests, especially from the three games before New Orleans and apply them over to tonight. They cannot afford any steps back.
Last Meeting (Jan. 9, 2024)
Suns’ struggles carryover: Clippers dominate with 138-111 final score
Team Matchup Notes
Everything to know about the Suns and Clippers before their third meeting this season (via Suns):
Each team’s stats (via Suns):
Watch: Suns Shootaround from this Morning
Preview: Injury Report
Suns starter added to injury report against Clippers, Kawhi Leonard out
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Brendan Mau is a senior writer covering the Phoenix Suns and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @Brendan_Mau
