8/11/2023 0 Comments 2014 western conference finalsThe ball is in Leonard’s hands often, and he is a low-turnover player. Paul and Booker have the ability to get steals, but Phoenix hasn’t been nearly good enough at forcing turnovers to make up for its penchant of heavy fouling. The Suns are average at forcing turnovers, and only five teams averaged fewer steals per game after the break than Phoenix. Only five teams have had a worse turnover rate than the Clippers since the break. Phoenix has been a top-10 rim-protection team since the break, with Ayton and Bismack Biyombo proving to be sturdy at center while Durant and Craig have been shot blockers from the power forward spot.Īdvantage: Suns. The Clippers are a bottom-10 offensive rebounding team, though the Suns have been below-average on the defensive glass since the All-Star break. But Zubac’s the only big on the team who averages double-figures since the All-Star break. He has averaged 12.7 points on 68.5 percent field goals since the Clippers acquired Westbrook. Zubac is the primary interior option for the Clippers. Only five teams allowed fewer points in the paint per game than the Suns in that time, though LA brutalized Phoenix for 52 second-half paint points on Sunday afternoon. The Clippers are a below-average interior offense, while the Suns have been one of the best teams in the league keeping offenses out of the paint since the All-Star break. In addition to Leonard, Clippers reserve Norman Powell (5.1 free-throw attempts per game since All-Star break) will be searching out over-aggressive Suns defenders, primarily Devin Booker (3.2 fouls per game since All-Star break) and Deandre Ayton (3.1 fouls per game since All-Star break).Īdvantage: Clippers. They will be shooting the 3 heavily.īut driving on the Suns is encouraged, simply for the fact that only the Detroit Pistons had a worse free-throw attempt rate allowed than Phoenix after the All-Star break. (inactive since being removed from the starting lineup the week after George’s injury last month), the Clippers aren’t as reliant on the midrange shot. Phoenix allowed 11.6 3s per game since the All-Star break, eighth-best in the league. The Clippers have been the third-most accurate 3-point shooting team in the league since the All-Star break at 39.0 percent, and were 11th in 3s made in that time as well. The Suns won two blowout games in LA this season: the first Sunday of the season when Leonard was still coming off the bench (and prior to Leonard’s month-long hiatus due to knee soreness) and in December, when the Clippers sat Leonard, George, Ivica Zubac and then-starting point guard Reggie Jackson due to injury. Let’s take a look at some matchups: That was also the same day that the Suns introduced an injured Durant to season-ticket holders at Footprint Center. The Clippers outlasted the Suns 116-107 that game was after the trade deadline but before the Clippers signed Westbrook. The only matchup of the season against the Suns where the Clippers weren’t playing on the second night of a back-to-back was in February, the last NBA game before the All-Star break. Westbrook also played one game against his former Oklahoma City teammate in November when he was with the Los Angeles Lakers. When Durant visited LA in November, Leonard did not play. Leonard and Durant haven’t faced off since February 2021, when Durant was with the Brooklyn Nets and before Leonard suffered a partially torn ACL.
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