After securing impressive victories in their respective second-round matchups, the Phoenix Suns and the Los Angeles Clippers are finally set to face off in the Western Conference Finals. On the line is, obviously, a trip to the NBA Finals.
The former easily cruised to a 4-0 series sweep against the Denver Nuggets while the latter team overcame the top-seeded Utah Jazz with a 4-2 series victory.
Indeed, both squads are hungry to punch their ticket to the championship series and ultimately end their longstanding title droughts this season. Unfortunately, only one team can successfully advance in the next round, with the Suns emerging as the favorite to edge out the Clippers.
Here are the three reasons why Phoenix will win the series and reach the NBA Finals:
1. Kawhi Leonard will most likely be out longer than Chris Paul
A huge factor that could decide the result of this series is the availability of the superstars from both teams. For the Suns, Chris Paul is expected to miss the first few games as he remains in the league's health and safety protocols after testing positive for COVID-19. However, he will most likely be back at some point midway through the series.
On the other side, Kawhi Leonard is also expected to sit out a number of games after he sustained a right knee sprain in Game 4 of their second-round matchup against the Jazz. However, the Clippers star has a longer timetable for his return as compared to Paul due to his injury. Not to mention that the team would also want to err on the side of caution by not rushing him back to action.
Certainly enough, Los Angeles will greatly miss the services of Leonard who averaged 30.4 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 4.4 assists through 11 appearances in this season's playoffs. Leonard's absence will definitely favor the Suns as they are expecting to play with a healthier lineup as compared to the Clippers as the series progresses.
2. Phoenix has a stronger presence in the paint with Deandre Ayton
In their previous matchup against the Jazz, the Clippers were able to find a way to neutralize Rudy Gobert's presence in the paint. However, Deandre Ayton will pose a different challenge as he is more of a back-to-the-basket type of player who can take advantage of smaller defenders guarding him.
Through the first playoff stint of his career, Ayton is averaging a double-double with 15.2 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 0.5 blocks per game. The Clippers do have Ivica Zubac to bang bodies with Ayton but he is evidently slower and less athletic than the Bahamian big man. Basing on their matchups in the regular season, Zubac also failed to limit Ayton whenever he is being used as a lob threat who plays above the rim.
Aside from being an offensive weapon, Ayton is also the Suns' main anchor in the rebounding department. In case the Clippers decide to run with a smaller lineup, they will still have a hard time grabbing boards as Ayton can reach for more balls with his size and impose his will in the paint even more. Indeed, the former top overall pick will play a huge role in this series and the Suns would need him at his best if they want to win their battles in the paint.
3. The Clippers won't be able to stop the backcourt duo of Chris Paul and Devin Booker
Before we move on, it is important to note that Chris Paul is already ruled out of Game 1. Assuming he gets the go-ahead for Game 2, the following take applies for our NBA Finals prediction of sorts.
It can't be denied that the Clippers have great guards who will have their own moments in this series like Paul George, Patrick Beverley, and Rajon Rondo. Even the much-improved Terance Mann is expected to make an impact for Los Angeles in the Western Conference Finals.
However, the pairing of Chris Paul and Devin Booker is still hard to beat for any team, even the loaded Clippers. The future Hall of Famer in Paul is still one of the steadiest playmakers in the league even while playing at this stage of his career. He is currently averaging 15.7 points, 8.7 assists, and 1.2 steals per game through 10 playoff games played. Meanwhile, his running mate in Booker is also a certified bucket-getter who can create shots for himself at ease with norms of 27.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 4.8 assists in 10 postseason appearances for the Suns.
With their vast offensive arsenal, the scoring prowess of the two players will certainly be a headache for the Clippers. Not to mention that they are also expected to miss their best wing defender in Kawhi Leonard for the most part of the series which makes it even harder for them to stop the Paul-Booker duo.
To top it off, the rest of the Suns are also great at taking care of the ball, ranking second in the best team assist/turnover ratio in the league this season, per Team Rankings. Indeed, both the Suns and the Clippers are going to have a tightly-contested series but Phoenix has a great chance of advancing to the NBA Finals, especially with Chris Paul back on the floor.
Follow Us
Subscribe