Best Bet: Suns vs. Clippers Under 225.5 (-110)

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Playoff intensity arrived early in this potential first-round preview, with both teams locking down defensively and combining to shoot just 41% from the field. The Clippers' stars looked fatigued in their fourth game in six nights, with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George shooting a combined 14-of-37 against Phoenix's switch-heavy scheme. These division rivals had gone under in four of their last five meetings, and the Suns' deliberate pace (27th in possessions per game) created fewer transition opportunities than usual. Kevin Durant and Devin Booker combined for 52 points, but the Clippers' top-10 halfcourt defense forced them into tough mid-range looks all night. With both teams resting key rotation players and clearly conserving energy for the postseason, this turned into the grind-it-out affair we anticipated. While the Lakers-Warriors over tempted some bettors, the Suns-Clippers' recent under trends (7 of last 10 below total) and late-season defensive focus made this the sharper play. 12 of last 15 Clippers divisional games stayed under.