The data doesn't lie|The Suns are 2-10 and weak when they are strong, and the Clippers' two sets of killing formations are ruthless enough to rush to the championship?
On January 9, Beijing time, the Clippers defeated the Suns 138-111 at home, winning 15 of the last 18 games, and after losing this game, the Suns were 19-18 and fell to 9th in the West.
In this game, the gathering of seven stars is impressive. The Suns' Durant had 30 points and seven rebounds, Booker had 20 points and five assists, and Beal had 15 points. The Clippers' George had 25 points and 7 rebounds, Harden had 19 points, 7 rebounds and 10 assists, Kawhi Leonard had 17 points and 5 steals, and Willis had 9 points, 7 assists and 2 steals. The Clippers went on a 37-20 run in the final quarter to score 27 points.
The Suns can't win against strong teams, so why rush to the championship?
In this game against the Clippers, the Suns trailed by more than 20 points with about 5 minutes left in the game and had to surrender early. The loss to the Clippers was the ninth time this season that the Suns have lost to a team with a win rate of at least 50%. Against a team with a win rate of less than 50%, the Suns still have a clear advantage at 14-9, but against a team with a win rate of at least 50%, the Suns are only 5-9.
If the range of opponents is set in the top 10 in the West, then the Suns' record is even more eye-popping. Facing the other 9 teams in the top 10 in the West, the Suns currently have a record of only 2 wins and 10 losses. Against the Timberwolves and Rockets, the Suns are both 1-0, they have not played the Pelicans yet, and the other 6 teams, the Suns have not won this season: 0-3 against the Lakers, 0-2 against the Clippers, 0-2 against the Kings, 0-1 against the Thunder, 0-1 against the Nuggets, and 0-1 against the Mavericks.
When it is strong, it is weak, and it can only abuse vegetables? This seems to be becoming the label of the sun. Why did the sun not live up to expectations? There are many reasons for this. First, they are top-heavy, and the combat effectiveness of the lineup outside the Big Three is very limited. The data shows that before this game, the Suns Big Three could win their opponents by 15.1 points per 100 rounds in the same 88 minutes, but their advantage was often on the opponent's side in different periods. Second, the Big Three have been plagued by injuries, and the time they have played together so far this season has been limited.
The Clippers won 15 of 18 games, and the two sets of killings were ruthless enough
According to the NBA's official website, one of the secrets of the Clippers' success is that the two lineups they use most often are sharp enough. One lineup is the current starter: Harden + George + Jr. + Mann + Zubac, and the other lineup is to replace Mann with Powell. Prior to the game against the Suns, the two lineups had used a total of 366 minutes and outscored opponents by 19.4 points per 100 possessions.
In the game lost to the Lakers, although the Clippers did not win, the Clippers won by 9 points in the 24 minutes used by these two lineups. In this game against the Suns, the time when these two lineups were on the court also won the Suns by a total of 10 points.
Compared to the Suns, the Clippers are clearly better against strong teams. They are 13-7 against teams with at least 50% of the win rate and 10-6 against teams with less than 50% of the winning percentage. There is no doubt that they are already a team ready to challenge for the championship.
It is also a team full of giants, the Clippers have been on the right track, but the Suns have not made people feel the breath of a strong team. What do you think of the two teams' season prospects?