This is the only NBA game scheduled for Thursday night.
The Clippers are 3-4 on the season, while the Suns are 3-5. Phoenix is 15th in pace, while Los Angeles is 28th. Phoenix is 22nd in offensive rating, while Los Angeles is 16th. Both teams rank in the bottom-third league-wide in defensive rating — PHX is 24th and LAC is 26th.
James Harden, Kawhi Leonard, and Dillon Brooks are all out for Thursday’s contest, while Jalen Green is probable.
DraftKings Sportsbook lists PHO as a 1.5-point home favorite over LAC with the total set at 223.5.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Showdown $150K Fadeaway [$50K to 1st] (LAC at PHX)
Captain’s Picks
Devin Booker ($17,400 CP): Booker has a 32.8% usage rate on the season. That number could come down slightly with the likely addition of Jalen Green to the lineup, but it should still hover around 30%. Booker is the alpha for the Suns’ offense, and he’s going to put up points. Through eight games, Booker is averaging 31 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 6.9 assists with 2.8 three-pointers a game. That’s translated to at least 40 FPTS in all but one game this season — with two games over 60 FPTS. With James Harden and Kawhi Leonard out, Booker likely has the highest floor/ceiling combo on the slate.
UTIL Plays
Ivica Zubac ($12,900): Zubac’s numbers have come down from last season, primarily because he’s playing 3.8 fewer minutes a game. Some of that is due to the acquisition of Brook Lopez, and there have been quite a few blowouts. Minutes should be plentiful in this one, as the Suns primarily trot out a conventional center, while the spread is within two points. With Harden and Leonard out, Zubac could see more of the offense flowing through him.
Mark Williams ($12,300): Williams has played at least 30 minutes only once this season, and his production has been inconsistent. That said, he has played around 26 minutes per game in the last four contests and is coming off a game in which he produced 16 points, 16 rebounds, four assists, and a steal. He has three double-doubles on the season and could play close to 30 minutes in this one due to the size that Los Angeles has at center. Williams has put up over 40 FPTS in three games this season.
Bogdan Bogdanovic ($1,500): Bogdanovic has registered a DNP in four of seven games this season. On Tuesday, he played 30 minutes and produced 11 points, six rebounds, four assists, and two steals as Bradley Beal sat. Beal could and should be back for this one, but Harden and Leonard are out, so it’s likely that Bogdanovic will stay involved in the offense.
Fades
Bradley Beal ($11,100): The Clippers are managing Beal this season. He got the night off on Tuesday and will likely start for this one, but in the four games he’s been on the court, Beal has received only 20 minutes per contest, putting up double-digit FPTS twice with a high of 17.8 FPTS.
The Outcome
There’s too much firepower on the bench for Los Angeles to walk out of Phoenix unscathed.
Final Score: Suns 120, Clippers 109
