By Clipper Nation Insider (@ClipNationIns) | Nov. 10, 2026 | Mortgage Matchup Center, Phoenix
Clippers at Suns, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026, 6:00 PM PT, Phoenix
The LA Clippers (2-7, 0-4 on the road) visit the Phoenix Suns (3-6) tonight without Bradley Beal, Brandon Ingram, Jordan Miller, and Yanic Konan Niederhauser, while Phoenix plays the second night of a back-to-back after a 122-96 home loss to the Spurs and is still without center Mark Williams. The deciding lever is the glass: Phoenix grabs 38.8 rebounds per game and allows 47.6. CNI pick: Clippers 114, Suns 111.
Final availability: Clippers vs Suns injury report
Clippers out (ESPN injury report): Bradley Beal (knee), Brandon Ingram (Achilles), Jordan Miller (shoulder), Yanic Konan Niederhauser (foot). Cam Christie (ankle) is day-to-day. Suns out: Mark Williams (shoulder). Guard Jordan Goodwin, listed with a calf issue earlier, is off the Suns injury report.
Phoenix is a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 224.5, and ESPN's matchup predictor gives the Suns a 66.7 percent chance to win.
1. Win the glass against the NBA's worst rebounding team
The number: 38.8. That is Phoenix's rebounds per game across nine games, and opponents average 47.6 boards and 14.7 offensive rebounds against them. LA averages 40.9 rebounds and 10.7 offensive rebounds.
Why it decides tonight: Williams is out, Phoenix is on tired legs, and the Clippers are short two scorers in Beal and Ingram. Second shots are the cheapest way to replace that missing offense. Isaiah Jackson (6.1 rebounds per game, LA's leader) and Brook Lopez have to keep possessions alive.
Success looks like: 13 or more LA offensive rebounds and a plus-6 edge on the boards. Failure: Phoenix winning the glass, which removes LA's clearest structural edge.
2. Protect the ball: keep turnovers near the 11 from the Pelicans win
The number: 19.1. That is LA's total turnovers per game, and opponents score 25.2 points per game off them. In Sunday's 139-123 win over New Orleans, LA had just 11 turnovers, which led to 14 points.
Why it decides tonight: Phoenix averages 8.6 steals and 17.1 points off turnovers. Goodwin's return gives the Suns another ball-hawking guard off the bench. If the Clippers give back the extra possessions they earn on the glass, the rebounding edge is wasted.
Success looks like: 14 or fewer turnovers and Phoenix held under 15 points off them. Failure: 18 or more turnovers and a run of live-ball steals turning into Suns layups.
3. Make Devin Booker win from three, not inside the arc
The number: 54.4 percent. That is Booker's shooting on twos this season (62 of 114). He is at 36.0 percent from three (18 of 50) while averaging 26.0 points.
Why it decides tonight: The top-scoring opposing guard has scored 21 or more against LA in all nine games, averaging 26.7 points on 56.0 percent shooting. Kris Dunn and Derrick Jones Jr. have to take away Booker's mid-range and drives and live with contested pull-up threes.
Success looks like: Booker under 25 points or needing 22-plus shots to get there. Failure: another efficient 30 from the opposing lead guard.
4. Paint defense: LA's biggest leak
The number: 54.7. That is how many paint points LA allows per game. Phoenix scores 46.0 in the paint, and it was held to 9 of 26 from three against the Spurs.
Why it decides tonight: A tired team settles for what is easiest. If LA's bigs stay home and the wings help early on drives, Phoenix has to shoot over the top, and it hits 35.8 percent from three for the season.
Success looks like: Phoenix under 46 paint points. Failure: 55-plus paint points again, which makes every other key harder.
5. Threes on tired legs: keep the volume up
The number: 38.7 percent. LA is shooting 126 of 326 from three (36.2 attempts per game), and Phoenix opponents are shooting 38.1 percent from deep.
Why it decides tonight: Back-to-back defenses tend to show up late on closeouts. Darius Garland (21.2 points, 7.0 assists) creating paint touches and kicking out is how LA turns that into points without Beal and Ingram.
Success looks like: 38-plus three-point attempts at 37 percent or better. Failure: the Clippers settling below 30 attempts and letting Phoenix set its half-court defense.
CNI score prediction: Clippers 114, Suns 111
Phoenix is favored by 3.5, but we take the Clippers outright. Phoenix's weakest area (rebounding) matches what LA can control, and the Suns come in on the back end of a back-to-back after a 26-point home loss. Contingency flip: if LA commits 18 or more turnovers or loses the rebounding battle, flip it: Suns 116, Clippers 109.