Keagan Smith dives into his pick and prediction for the Phoenix Suns vs. Los Angeles Clippers matchup on Friday night.<\/p>\n
The new NBA season tipped off just a couple nights ago and continues on Friday with a loaded slate. The final game tonight sees the Phoenix Suns<\/a> (1-0) head to Los Angeles for a division duel against the Clippers<\/a> (0-1) in a Western Conference showdown. The stars are on display with Devin Booker taking on Kawhi Leonard and James Harden, so lock in for this late-night affair at 10:30 p.m. EST.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s a Suns vs. Clippers prediction and pick on DraftKings Sportsbook for contest.<\/p>\n Suns vs. Clippers prediction, preview<\/p>\n It was a tough offseason for the Suns as the team parted ways with Hall-of-Fame lock Kevin Durant for a return of Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and a first-round pick which became center Khaman Maluach. To top that off, the franchise brought in a new head coach in Jordan Ott and now looks toward the future via this re-tooling process. Despite Jalen Green\u2019s hamstring injury keeping him sidelined for the season opener, the Suns did rally from behind to down the Sacramento Kings<\/a> in a 120-116 thriller as Devin Booker and Brooks powered the victory. However, tonight brings a tougher test, especially with a weak guard rotation and an overabundance of frontcourt options, particularly at center. The season opener was a fun win, but it\u2019s clear this team will have some trouble working through the post-Durant era.<\/p>\n On the other side, the Clippers retained most of their talent over the offseason after falling in the first round of last year\u2019s Western Conference playoffs. Kawhi Leonard and James Harden remain in place with Ivica Zubac complementing them at center, and Bradley Beal was brought in to replace Norman Powell at shooting guard. The addition of Chris Paul in his return to L.A. also brings some help in the backcourt off the bench, and John Collins and Brook Lopez also provide standout depth in the frontcourt. A few years ago, this team would\u2019ve made some serious noise as a title contender. However, everyone is a year older and may struggle against some younger rosters that push the pace in transition. The Clippers lost their first game to the Utah Jazz<\/a> 129-108 as no player cracked 20 points, but a better performance should be in the cards here.<\/p>\n Suns vs. Clippers pick, best bet<\/p>\n