The Western Conference Finals of the 2020-21 NBA Playoffs continue Thursday night as the Phoenix Suns are set to visit the Los Angeles Clippers for Game 3 of their series at 9:00 p.m. EST. The Suns are up 2-0 in the series and are just two wins away from an NBA Finals appearance. Will they get one step closer to championship supremacy? Or will tonight be the start of a Clippers’ comeback?
Continuing reading for BetOnline’s odds on tonight’s action, as well as a betting preview for Game 3.
NBA Odds: Phoenix Suns (No. 2) vs Los Angeles Clippers (No. 4)
Odds via BetOnline as of Thursday, June 24
- Series: PHX leads 2-0
- Time: 9:00 p.m. EST
- Moneyline: Suns (-120) vs Clippers (+100)
- Point Spread: Suns: -1.5 (-105), Clippers: +1.5 (-115)
- Total: 221.0 — Over (-115), Under (-105)
Suns Continue To Be Favorites
Up 2-0 in the series, the Suns are favored to take the 3-0 advantage tonight at -120 odds. As Game 2 was in its dying minutes, it was looking like there was a possibility that the Clippers were going to tie up the series. However, a buzzer-beating alley-oop from Jae Crowder to Deandre Ayton stole the game for the Suns. Ayton finished the night with 24 points and 14 rebounds for the double-double, further solidifying himself as one of the top centers in the NBA as the playoffs continue. Someone who had a slightly off game for Phoenix was Devin Booker. While he’s been lights out for most of the postseason, he shot 31.3% from the field in Game 2, so shooting the ball better should be a priority tonight.
Another player worth noting is Cameron Payne. The 26-year-old point guard has really stepped up his game in the playoffs, which was proven by his career-high 29 points in Game 2. However, Payne will get some help in the backcourt tonight as 10-time All-NBA point guard Chris Paul is probable to return from COVID-19 protocol. Considering how Phoenix took the 2-0 series lead without him touching the floor, Paul’s return could put the Suns over the top in their pursuit for an NBA Championship. The 35-year-old veteran was averaging 15.7 PPG/4.1 RPG/8.7 APG in the playoffs before landing in COVID protocol.
Can the Clippers Come Back From 2-0 Again?
The bad news for Clippers fans is that their team is down 2-0 entering tonight’s matchup. The good news is that they’ve been here before and things have turned out alright. The Clippers were down 2-0 to both the Dallas Mavericks and Utah Jazz in the first two rounds of the playoffs but still managed to claw their way back and end up where they are today.
With Kawhi Leonard being ruled out for Game 3, Los Angeles will have to depend on Paul George. While he finished Game 2 with 26 points, he was 1-for-8 (.125) from the 3-point line and missed two clutch field goals in the dying seconds that allowed the Suns the opportunity to win the game when they did. Another player who had a disappointing game again was Marcus Morris. With a cap hit of nearly $15 million in the 2020-21 NBA season, he needs to play better than he has over the last three games. During that span, Morris has averaged 6.7 PPG and has shot 9-for-29 (.310) from the field. Maybe that would be negligible if Leonard was in the lineup, but Morris must play better as one of Los Angeles’ top options.
The good news for the Clippers is that they have been hanging in there with the Suns. Both games were decided by single-digit margins, so they’re certainly not getting blown out. They just need to capitalize on big moments and not let themselves be their own worst enemy.
