RADIO
With no Kawhi Leonard or Ivica Zubac, the Clippers staved off elimination on Monday to force a Game 6. In the friendly confines of Staples Center. If they win tonight, then it's Game 7 and anything can happen. NBA is faaaaaantastic. That said, I do feel that the Suns will adjust to the adjustments made by Ty Lue in Game 5 and move on to the Finals.
Unfortunately, this is the only game tonight but FanDuel has a $500k NBA Clutch Shot tournament with $100k to first place. The entry fee is $7 and the maximum capacity is 85,034 entries.
Here are my favorite plays from tonight's game for the FanDuel single-game slate that locks at 9:00 PM EST.
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Phoenix Suns (-1) at LA Clippers (215 total)
The Clippers were 26-10 at home during the regular season, second-best in the NBA. They did lose Game 4 at Staples but they bounced back in Game 5, playing with tremendous energy and being tactically superior. Ty Lue was masterful in going small when Deandre Ayton was on the floor and zoning up the Suns while inserting DeMarcus Cousins when Ayton was off the court. I do expect the Suns to adjust though in this one. Does Ty Lue have an adjustment to the adjustment?
Paul George ($16,000). Remember Pandemic Paul? Yeah, me neither. Over the last seven games, which includes the final two games of the Utah series, George has gone for at least 50 FD points in six of those contests with two above 60. In Game 5, he went for 68.6 FD points as he contributed 41 points, 13 rebounds, six assists, and three steals. He's played at least 40 minutes in seven of the last eight games and garnered a usage rate over 30% in all of those games. If the Clippers have any shot of forcing a Game 7, then George is going to have to go bonkers again. George is so strong when driving to the rim but can make it rain from downtown. He's one of the best two-way players in the league so the floor is relatively high. It all comes down to the J for George. He's shot under 40% in three of the last five games but when he gets hot, he can access ceiling games.
Chris Paul ($14,000) has been good, but not great. Prior to missing two games due to being in the health and safety protocols, Paul went for 55.1, 53.2, 48.5, and 46.7 FD points. The rebounds and assists will always be there and he does rack up steals, but it's been the shooting efficiency that's really held him back. He's shot 26%, 27%, and 42% in the last three games. The trend is at least going in the right direction and he should have his legs under him now. He's getting good looks but just missing them by a smidge. The guidance system has been recalibrated and I expect Paul to have a big game.
Deandre Ayton ($14,000). In this series, Ayton has put up 32.8, 47.3, 37.8, 61.9, and 28.7 FD points. He's racked up a steal and block in four of the five games and grabbed at least nine rebounds in every contest. In Game 5, the Clippers confused the Suns and made it difficult to get Ayton touches down low. I expect the Suns to figure out the zone and small-ball lineup, which should provide Ayton plenty of opportunities to feast.
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Reggie Jackson ($12,500). I never thought I'd see the day in which Jackson would be one of the most consistent performers, but here we are. What a time to be alive. Over the last seven games, he's scored at least 30 FD points in six of those contests with a high of 53.6. In the one game he didn't, Jackson put up 26.5 FD points. He's scored at least 20 points in three straight and he's garnered a usage rate over 20% in each of the last seven games. He's got the handles and quickness to break defenders down and get to the rim but the J has been wet and he's converted at least 50% of his field-goal attempts in nine of the last 11 games.
Ivica Zubac ($12,000). Whether or not Zubac plays could determine this slate. If he's out, then the Clippers could go small with Morris getting a usage bump and Nicolas Batum getting significant run. DeMarcus Cousins, who went for 24.9 FD points in 11 minutes, would also see some action. If Zubac plays, then Cousins will likely be put on the shelf again. After seeing only 18 minutes in Game 1, Zubac received over 30 minutes in the next three games and put up 29.2, 44.7, and 31.3 FD points. With Zubac on the court, then Ayton could get a boost because more traditional defensive tactics could be employed and all the Clippers players who received a boost in the small-ball lineups would go back to the status quo.
Marcus Morris ($11,000). Ahh, the Marcus Morris game happened in Game 5. He shot 56% from the field but in three of the prior four games, he converted fewer than 30% of his attempts. This is the Marcus Morris experience. That said, the usage rate was 22% and the Clippers exploited the matchups when the Suns would get smaller defenders on him down in the post. As the game wore on, they did change up tactics with Jae Crowder switching onto him but it was just one of those games in which Morris couldn't miss. Now, I'm inclined to fade him but he did put up 23 and 25 points in back-to-back games in the Utah series so it's within the realm of possibility that he lights it up again. I do think the Suns make the necessary adjustments, though.
Cameron Johnson ($7,500) has been an important part of the Suns' rotation. He's played at least 23 minutes in four of the five games with a high of 30. He's an excellent shooter from downtown and has converted over 70% of his attempts in this series, albeit on only six shots per game. He grabs rebounds and racks up some steals. He's scored at least 17 FD points in four of the five games and is my favorite cheap player.
