The NBA playoffs for 2023 are finally upon us and we have been treated to a fantastic series so far the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Clippers in round 1.
The number four and number five seeds from the Western Conference have been going head-to-head so far and currently have one win each after two games, so both teams will be looking to take the initiative with a win in game three.
We'll take a look at the season so far and provide you with our best free NBA picks for the upcoming game to see if we can earn you some extra cash.
Learn more about how to bet on the NBA playoffs here.
NBA playoffs Game 3 information
- Thursday April 20th, 2023
- 22:30 ET
- Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, California
- Game 3 of 7: Series tied 1-1
NBA playoff series so far
The Clippers went into Phoenix and shocked the Suns in Game 1 of the series, taking a 115-110 victory on the road. It was Kawhi Leonard’s first playoff game since 2021, and he didn’t miss a beat, scoring a game-high 38 points with five rebounds and five assists as the stand-out performer.
Kevin Durant suffered his first loss as a member of the Suns since his mid-season trade from the Brookyln Nets but he'll be happy with his personal performance as he was just one rebound shy of a triple-double.
His old Oklahoma City Thunder teammate and rival Russell Westbrook had a key block in the game's final seconds to secure the Clippers' victory.
Game 2 was very different though as the Suns overcame a tough first quarter to outscore the Clippers in the second, third and fourth to earn a 123-109 win on Tuesday night.
Leonaard once again top scored for the Clippers with 31 points to go with eight rebounds and seven assists, while Westbrook racked up 28-5-5 himself, but it wasn't enough. Devin Booker hit 38 points with nine assists while Durant hit 25-6-5 for another strong showing. They were also backed up by 17 from Torrey Craig, 16 from Chris Paul and 14 from Deandre Ayton to spread the load.
NBA Playoffs: Game 3 Preview
The two teams went head-to-head in the final regular season game in the NBA as well as the first two in this playoff series with the Suns at home in all three, but they've gone 1-2 in those games so far. Granted the Suns fielded a weakened team in that regular season clash and almost got the win, but the upset in the first game of the series certainly seemed to wake them up.
During the regular season both teams earned two wins each in their four clashes, with the Clippers winning the two most recent outings.
Crazily both of these teams are averaging exactly the same amount of points in the regular season, with 113.6 points scored per game but defensively the Suns have the edge with 111.6 points against per game compared to 113.1 points per game against for the Clippers.
The way the second game went is how we expected it to go in the first game too, but the fact the Clippers have been able to stop them once shouldn't come as too much of a surprise. If they can do it again though it would be a shock.
Paul George is out for the Clippers while the Suns have got Cameron Payne and Chris Paul listed as doubtful, but the Suns will still expect to have enough to come away with the win.
NBA Picks: Phoenix Suns cover the spread
The Suns arguably have the best starting lineup in the NBA and are a defensive nightmare for any team. The hype is all about Durant and Booker but the real man to look out for in this team might be the play of Ayton.
The former No. 1 overall pick is averaging a double-double per game this season and has catapulted the Suns into a top five offensive rebounding team.
The Suns have a 30.7 offensive rebounding percentage and can hurt opposing teams with their second-chance points. The addition of Durant will only increase this number as he averages 6.7 rebounds per game and with Marcus Morris is still sidelined for the Clippers, so they will be a bit undersized in this matchup.
There is plenty of firepower in the roster of the Suns and while they're travelling for the first time in this series, they should be able to win this game by at least three points if they're able to shut out the noise of the opposition fans.
Check out our review for BetUS sports betting here.
NBA Picks: Back the unders
The Clippers rank 21st and the Suns are 22nd in pace of play this year, both averaging fewer than 100 possessions per game and with neither side really a team that looks for three-pointers, this could be a low-scoring game.
The Clippers are ranked 13th in three-point field goals attempted per game, and the Suns are 20th. The first game in the series saw 225 points scored and this game is more likely to hold that pattern than the second game, which saw 132 points scored.
Both teams had 30+ points second quarters in that game, and it would seem unlikely for that to happen again as that is really what pushed them over the line. The unders is the bet with the way these teams play offense and with the way the series is balanced.
