The Los Angeles Clippers host the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night in Game 3, but they'll be without their biggest star. Kawhi Leonard is out Game 3 with a knee sprain, surprisingly announced by the Clippers just hours before tip-off. The Clippers, who stole Game 1 on the road, are also missing Paul George.
The Phoenix Suns bounced back from their series-opening loss to the Los Angeles Clippers with a 123-109 win on Tuesday and can take control of the series in Game 3.
In preparation for Game 3, here's everything you need to know about this matchup.
(4) Phoenix Suns vs. (5) Los Angeles Clippers
- Date: Thursday, April 20 | Time: 10:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Crypto.com Arena -- Los Angeles, California
- TV channel: NBATV
- Odds: Suns -7.5; O/U 224.5 (via Caesars Sportsbook)
Storylines
Booker and Durant were the headliners in Phoenix's success, however, their offensive outburst was largely out of necessity. A quick look at the boxscore from Game 2 and you'll notice that bench unit was outscored 30-13. On most nights, that would result in a loss, but Durant and Booker were just that good to pull out a win. That may not be the case going forward in this series, and if this team makes it out of the first round it'll certainly be an issue deeper into the playoffs. This was a concern the moment the Suns traded their depth away for Durant, and while it wasn't a problem in Game 2, it's certainly an issue they need to get figured out.
The Clippers will be a completely different team without Leonard on the court. The silver lining for L.A. is that Leonard reportedly is day-to-day and could return for Game 4. It appears unlikely that George will be able to play in the series.
Prediction
Even with Kawhi, I just don't think the Clippers have enough firepower to contend with the Suns for a full series. Yes, Phoenix has depth issues, but I see that impacting them in the later rounds of the playoffs. The pick: Suns -7.5
