Phoenix Suns Still Favored to Beat Clippers, Even Series After Game 2

While it was a demoralizing loss for the Phoenix Suns in Game 1 of the first round against the Los Angeles Clippers, they are more than capable of bouncing back in Game 2.

It's rare for a team to lose twice in a row at home in the NBA playoffs. It was an embarrassing start for the Suns at the Footprint Center on Sunday night, but with some rest and adjustments they should be ready to re-energize their home crowd with a win before heading back to LA for Games 3/4.

Unlike for the Clippers, tonight’s game is a must-win for the Suns. Going down 2-0 with the series shifting to Los Angeles would create a tough mountain for Phoenix to climb. According to Oddshark, only 20 teams in 282 seven-game playoff series have ever come back to win. The last team to do so in the first round were the Portland Trail Blazers in 2016.

With more to play for, the Suns should come out with a ton of energy and passion, something they lacked in Game 1. They're still -8.5 point favorites heading into tonight as well.

Phoenix is also ready to make adjustments leading into Game 2, and that includes playing a more physical brand of basketball.

“More physicality,” Jock Landale said on the Suns' adjustments via Arizona Republic's Duane Rankin. “We definitely have to take advantage of the refs letting us play during playoffs and show that we can be more of a physical unit. … That'll help with the Kawhi (Leonard) problem.”

The Suns' new game plan will also most likely center around getting Durant more involved in the offense. If Durant is able to contribute more on the offensive side of the ball, specifically shoot more than 15 times, Phoenix will surely have a much better shot of getting back in this series.

“You don’t want to get in the way of greatness,” Monty Williams said via PHNX Sports writer Gerald Bourguet. “We can create some more environments for him to live freely in live-ball situations.”

In Game 1, Kawhi Leonard dominated from start to finish dropping 38 points. That being said, if Williams comes out with a better defensive gameplan to focus on slowing down Leonard, they should be in better shape in Game 2.

The pressure is on the Suns to deliver and win tonight, but it is something they are certainly capable of doing.