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With the Phoenix Suns Game 2 clash with the Los Angeles Clippers set to take place on Tuesday evening, there will be plenty of interest in how this talented side will respond to their loss in the playoffs-opener. Ahead of the upcoming Suns-Clippers game, we’ll be making our Suns Game 2 predictions.
When Kevin Durant made his way to Phoenix to join Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton partway through this season, the Suns immediately joined the likes of the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics in the top-tier of Championship contention. And over the remainder of the regular season they proved why, winning all eight games with Kevin Durant on the floor.
In Game 1 of their first round playoff series, however, things didn’t quite go to plan. Courtesy largely of a 38-point effort by Kawhi Leonard and some clutch plays by a wayward Russell Westbrook, the Suns lost their first game with KD on the floor, going down 115-110. In these Suns Game 2 predictions, we’ll take a look at why they can bounce back on Tuesday.
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4. Phoenix Suns keep Los Angeles Clippers to ten or less offensive rebounds
One of the Suns’ very few weaknesses – or at least areas in which they aren’t particularly strong – is on the glass. Throughout the course of the season, they gave up 13.9 second chance points per game, making them the 11th leakiest team in the league in this regard, and over the past ten games of the regular season that number jumped up to 16.9 per game – the second worst in the league.
This once again proved to be a problem in their Game 1 clash against the Clippers, giving up 15 offensive rebounds – compared to the six that they secured themselves. This could easily have resulted in even more second chance points than it did for the Clippers, but the 17 that they managed is still a number that the Suns will be eager to whittle down in Game 2. Expect them to be a lot more physical on their own defensive glass on Tuesday, and keep the Clippers to ten or less offensive rebounds.
3. Kevin Durant and Devin Booker take 45 combined field goal attempts
Both Durant and Booker had their moments in Game 1, but expect them to take a much higher percentage of the Suns’ shots on Tuesday. They each played in excess of 43 minutes and shot reasonably well – 7-15 for KD and 10-19 for Booker – but as two of the most gifted offensive threats in the league they will be looking to take on a bigger load moving forward.
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In his 33 minutes on Sunday, Deandre Ayton took 16 shots of his own, while Paul took eight and Torrey Craig 12. Craig’s shots were justified as he hit nine of them, but that won’t likely repeat itself and the Suns will be looking to redistribute some of both his and Ayton’s shots to Durant and Booker. Assuming both stars once again play close to 45 minutes, expect them to put up in excess of 20 shots each and combine for 45 total field goal attempts.
2. Phoenix Suns take 30 or more three-point attempts
The Suns are a mid-range team at heart and certainly don’t chuck up threes like many other teams, but in Game 1 they probably took that a little too far – or at least were forced to by the Clippers. The Suns ranked 17th in the league for three-point attempts during the regular season, putting up 32.6 per game and hitting them at a pretty high clip. In their opening game against the Clippers, they took just 19.
The Clippers are reasonable at defending the three-point line, but it’s certainly not typically a major focus; they rank around mid-league in terms of how many they give up per game, while the 36.5% that opponent’s hit is a little worse than average. The Suns didn’t take many on Sunday and missed a lot more than they made, but nonetheless they should be looking to put on a bit more pressure from beyond the arc in Game 2.
1. Phoenix Suns defeat the Los Angeles Clippers to square the series
The Suns are the favorite to win the Western Conference for good reason, and though their Game 1 loss to the Clippers was disappointing, there is plenty of reason to expect them to bounce back in Game 2. In the series-opener they gave up too many offensive rebounds, hit just six three-pointers all game, and neither Durant nor Booker took the bull by the horns like they are capable of doing.
Certainly it wasn’t a perfect game by the Clippers, either – they shot just 10-31 from long-range and Westbrook went 3-19, to name just a couple of areas in which they could improve. The Suns, however, are the better team on paper, and with a few minor adjustments they can be the better team on the court, too, on Tuesday night.
