The Phoenix Suns will make their triumphant return to the Western Conference Finals, even doing so beside a team that has never made it this far: the Los Angeles Clippers. Ready for a Conference Finals built around two teams typically unaccustomed to its grand stage, this bout seems certain to go down as a dog fight, and one far more competitive than Phoenix’s prior series.
LA defeated the Utah Jazz in six games to book their spot, even after dropping their first two contests in the series. The Clippers showed their resilience after winning four straight contests, the last two without superstar forward Kawhi Leonard.
The Clippers now own the fourth best odds to walk away as NBA champions at +500. But the Suns certainly seem committed to spoiling LA’s chance to host another champion this summer, recently surpassing the Brooklyn Nets to post the best championship odds at +240.
Phoenix recently swept league MVP Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets, exciting their fans to an extent unseen since the days of Steve Nash and Amar’e Stoudemire. Even amidst a positive COVID-19 test likely to sideline Chris Paul for Game 1, the Suns seem incredibly confident, still fueled by Devin Booker’s historic play and Deandre Ayton’s emergence as a true star.
Having secured the higher seed, the Suns own a home court advantage over the LA, taking effect with Game 1 set to tip off Sunday afternoon. Even though little time exists at this point to still rest and prepare, here are some takeaways the Suns can learn from the Clippers’ previous series, hopefully helping them win the Western Conference.