A day after the UConn Huskies got crowned as national champions in Arizona, the Phoenix Suns will look to keep the winning vibe in the state going this Wednesday, as they host the Kawhi Leonard-less Los Angeles Clippers. Will the Clippers beat Phoenix for the third time this season? Or, will the Suns finally score a win versus LA?

Catch this game live on Wednesday, April 10, 2024 at 10 AM, Manila time

Away: Los Angeles Clippers (50-28, 25-15 Away)

Projected Starting Five:

• James Harden
• Terance Mann
• Paul George
• Amir Coffey
• Ivica Zubac

First of all, don’t expect Kawhi Leonard to return from a knee injury this Wednesday. The Klaw has been ruled out for the match against the Suns, which means the Clippers will not have their No. 1 weapon as they try to go 3-0 straight up this season versus Phoenix. Leonard has scored 47 total points in the previous two encounters with Phoenix, but the Clippers will now have to source his output from the healthy bodies left on the roster. 

Fortunately for LA, it still has Paul George, who just exploded for 39 points on 10/24 shooting from the field and a perfect 16/16 from the foul line to help the Clippers erase a 26-point deficit in a 120-118 home win against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday.  The Clippers are now on a three-game win streak and have won six of their last seven outings. Over that seven-game span, LA has averaged 112.3 points while holding foes to just 107.3 points and going 3-4 against the spread. The Clippers are also 3-1 ATS in their last four games in The Valley.

Home: Phoenix Suns (46-32, 25-15 Home)

Projected Starting Five:

• Devin Booker
• Bradley Beal
• Grayson Allen
• Kevin Durant
• Jusuf Nurkic

Phoenix got tripped up by Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans at home last Monday, 113-105. That loss snapped the Suns’ three-game win streak. Despite the loss, the Suns must be happy to see Bradley Beal play like, well Bradley Beal in that game. Entering the meeting with New Orleans, Beal had averaged just 12.3 points in the previous four games. Against the Pels, Beal scored 33 points on 13/19 shooting from the field and 7/8 from behind the arc.

The Suns would very much love to see Beal have that kind of game again this Wednesday, with Phoenix still trying to lock up a top-six spot in the Western Conference standings. This meeting with the Clippers will also be the first time that Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Beal are all going to play together versus LA this season. Booker has averaged 27.5 points on 65.5 percent shooting from the field in the two games against the Clippers.

PICKS

Spread: Phoenix Suns (-7.0)

Over/Under: Over (226.0)