Game Information
Where: Talking Stick Resort Arena, Phoenix, AZ
When: 6:00 PM PT
How to Watch: Prime Ticket, AM 570 LA Sports
Projected Starting Lineups
Clippers: Patrick Beverley — Paul George — Kawhi Leonard — Marcus Morris — Ivica Zubac
Suns: Ricky Rubio — Devin Booker — Mikal Bridges — TBA — Deandre Ayton
Injuries
Clippers: None
Suns: OUT — Kelly Oubre Jr. (knee), Frank Kaminsky (kneecap)
The Big Picture
. . . looks really good when the team is complete. Paul George and Patrick Beverley returned on Monday night to combine with the recent additions to bushwhack the unsuspecting Memphis Grizzlies. It’s unreasonable to ask for fire and brimstone every night, but if the Clippers’ whole roster is available, no team in the NBA will be unconquerable. Such is the promise of this group. So long as the Clippers put forth a modicum of defensive effort, their shooting doesn’t take the night off, and the opponent doesn’t go supernova, they should expect to win.
The Antagonist
The Phoenix Suns are fading from postseason contention, entering tonight’s game in 12th with five losses between them and the eighth-seeded Grizzlies. They also have more talented (New Orleans) and more accomplished (Portland, San Antonio) squads to leapfrog. Ultimately, the Suns will likely fall short of the postseason again, which makes this closing stretch yet another attempted push start for next season, with Deandre Ayton’s continuing development front and center. If 2018’s first overall pick can continue his defensive improvement and learn to draw a foul more than once a week, he may just prove good enough to keep Devin Booker’s eyes from wandering to other cities.
Notes
Making up for Past Mistakes: The 2019-20 vintage of the LA Clippers has suffered some puzzling defeats, the first of which fermented in Phoenix on the season’s first weekend. That game was a calamity, a toxic mixture of defensive malaise and offensive waywardness. Here’s to hoping it’s something like Monday’s mad, mad, mad, mad Clippers that show up tonight.
Hooper Dario: Journeyman forward Dario Saric returned from injury after the All-Star break and may earn the start with bouncy Kelly Oubre Jr. ruled out with injury. The 6’10” Croatian is a cagey scorer and passer, but his regressed three-point shooting mucks up his team’s spacing. We might see more of rookie Cameron Johnson instead.
Clippings: ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk wrote up Doc Rivers’ thoughts on the memorial for Kobe and Gianna Bryant . . . Andrew Greif of the LA Times wrote about the Clippers’ search for consistency.
