Clippers, Suns Taking it S-L-O-W

It's hard to say which is more surprising – that the Phoenix Suns have the best record in the NBA, or that they've done so with the league's best defense. The Suns put both reputations on the line Sunday night as they host the Los Angeles Clippers in an early marquee NBA matchup. Phoenix (5-1 SU, 5-1 ATS) has lost 14 of its last 16 meetings with the Clippers (4-2 SU, 4-2 ATS).

Sportsbook Odds Analysis

Sunday marks the 17th straight time the Clippers have been favored over the Suns – but the 2 1/2-point spread is the smallest since Feb. 1, 2017. The total has dipped from 222.5 down to between 217.5 and 218.5 depending on the book.

Los Angeles News & Notes

The Clippers have been led, as expected, by the talented tandem of Paul George and Kawhi Leonard, who average a combined 56.4 points. But Los Angeles needs more out of the rest of its roster. After seeing four players average 18 or more points during last year's wildly successful regular season, only one other player (Serge Ibaka) is at more than 11 ppg through the first five games.

Better offensive efficiency might be as simple as getting back to the pace they established last season. The Clippers ranked eighth in the NBA at 104 possessions per game, but come into this one sitting 29th out of 30 teams at 99.8 possessions per contest. The only team averaging fewer than that? The Suns, who are at just 98.9 possessions per game.

Phoenix News & Notes

Point guard Chris Paul's arrival in the desert has brought with it a commitment to defense the likes of which Suns fans haven't seen in decades. Long gone are the days of "Eight Seconds or Less", replaced by a suffocating defensive effort that has seen Phoenix limit opponents to an average of 96 points during its four-game winning streak.

Offensively, the Suns have spread the wealth, with six players averaging double figures in scoring. The most impressive of which in the early going is starting small forward Mikal Bridges, who averages 15.3 points and 5.2 rebounds while shooting better than 53 percent from the field. He's an intriguing daily fantasy play, though his salary is now more in line with his performance.

Betting Pick: UNDER 218 (-110)

It's early, but pace means a lot when it comes to totals outcomes – and with the two most deliberate teams in the league squaring off Sunday, the UNDER is a strong option here.