PHOENIX @ LA CLIPPERS (PHX -4.5, 223.5)
NBA ODDS, NBA PREDICTIONS, NBA PREVIEWS
SUNS @ CLIPPERS 10/23/24
When the Los Angeles Clippers host the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday in their season opener, they will start a new era while still battling the same persistent issues. The Clippers will move into their own state-of-the-art arena after 25 years of sharing a downtown Los Angeles arena with the Lakers. The new Intuit Dome is just 11 miles south of Crypto.com Arena in Inglewood, California
Due to persistent knee problems, star forward Kawhi Leonard is out indefinitely. Over the previous two seasons, he was only able to play 120 of 164 regular-season games. In two seasons, he only appeared in four of the team's 11 postseason games.
The problems for Los Angeles don't stop there, as Paul George left in free agency to join the Philadelphia 76ers. Guards Kris Dunn, Kevin Porter Jr., and Cam Christie, a second-round pick, forward Derrick Jones Jr., and center Mo Bamba are among the newcomers.
Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue has always taken pride in his committed defense, which new assistant coach Jeff Van Gundy is expected to further hone. Last season, the former head coach and broadcaster served as a senior consultant for the Boston Celtics.
Last season, the Suns finished sixth in the Western Conference with a 49-33 record, while the Clippers finished fourth with a 51-31 record. Both teams were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.
Phoenix is changing on its own. Mike Budenholzer, the new head coach, replaces Frank Vogel. Mike Budenholzer, who was born in Arizona and led the Milwaukee Bucks to a championship in 2021, will be returning home as the team’s new head coach.
Mason Plumlee, a former Clipper, joined the Suns' returning core, which also includes Devin Booker and Kevin Durant, both of whom won gold medals with Team USA at the Olympics in Paris. Jusuf Nurkic, center, and guards Bradley Beal and Grayson Allen return to a team that did not make many significant additions but, like the Clippers, should improve defensively under Budenholzer.
After starting 74 of his 75 games last season, Allen, who has been battling Achilles soreness, will come off the bench. As Jones becomes a starter, the idea is that Allen will have more scoring opportunities with the second unit, at least for the time being. Josh Okogie, a forward for the Phoenix, will not play on Wednesday because of a hamstring injury.
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COACH RICK FREE PICK:
FREE PICK: KEVIN DURANT OVER 33.5 PRA
Durant is healthy and should be the Suns No. 1 option. He finished last season going Over this number in 3 of his last 4 games and 7 of his last 11. Durant scored 19 points in the Suns’ final preseason game. Last year, Durant averaged 26.8 points and 6.5 rebounds a game. Just with those two categories, Durant averaged just under this prop per game. Opening night on the road…Durant goes off.