Suns vs Clippers predictions & best bets – NBA West Finals

The Phoenix Suns improved their streak to 8-0 with their win over the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals on Sunday afternoon. The Suns enter Game 2 on Tuesday night just three wins away from their first trip to the NBA Championship Finals since 1993.

NBA West Finals preview – Phoenix Suns vs LA Clippers

The Suns (60-23) are playing their best basketball of the season at the right time of the year. Phoenix has played well all season long, but this group has seemingly elevated its game to another level in the postseason with eight straight wins by an average margin of 15 points. Devin Booker is emerging as one of the league’s brightest young stars this postseason, averaging 29 points, 7.4 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game in the NBA Playoffs. With Chris Paul sidelined due to COVID-19 protocols, Booker picked up the slack in Phoenix’s 120-114 win over the Clippers with 40 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists.

Los Angeles (55-31) finds itself in a series hole for the third straight time this postseason. The Clippers started off 0-2 against the Dallas Mavericks before finishing up that series on a 4-1 run and then started 0-2 (0-1-1 ATS) against the Utah Jazz before advancing to the Western Conference Finals with a 4-0 run. Paul George has elevated his offensive production with 31.3 points per game over his last six outings since opening the playoffs averaging 23.1 points per game through the Clippers’ first eight.

Suns vs Clippers NBA West Finals betting predictions

Kawhi Leonard injured his right knee in Game 4 against the Utah Jazz and has sat out in each of Los Angeles’ last three games. George and the Clippers did an excellent job to knock off the Utah Jazz without their superstar, but repeating that feat against the red-hot Suns is going to be an extremely tall order. Leonard didn’t travel to Phoenix with the team and there is currently no timetable for his return.

This would have been a very interesting and exciting series if Leonard were healthy. There is still hope that he may return, but early reports indicate that he may have suffered an ACL injury that would keep him out for the rest of the postseason at the very least. With so much uncertainty swirling around the Clippers’ best player and the Suns playing so well on both sides of the court, this is Phoenix’s series to lose.