Clippers vs. Suns Tuesday NBA playoffs, Game 5 odds, props, trends: Bettors backing L.A. at big spread number, Russell Westbrook for another high-scoring game

Once again without injured All-Stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, the Los Angeles Clippers face uphill odds to extend their season trailing the Suns 3-1 in their Western Conference first-round series, entering Tuesday's Game 5 in Phoenix as 12.5-point underdogs at BetMGM. Bettors are leaning L.A. on that large number, and like Russell Westbrook to score plenty of points in what could be his final game with the Clippers. Click here for model picks.

The Suns are favored by more points in this game than they have been in the postseason since 2007, when they were 11.5-point favorites over the Lakers. During the regular season, Phoenix was 6-1 straight up and 3-4 against the spread as at least a 12-point home favorite. That SU loss came on Nov. 4 against Portland. The last time the Clippers were at least +12 in a playoff game was April, 24, 2019, at Golden State when they were +15 -- and won outright, 129-121.

As of this writing, just 23% of the bets and 39% of the money are on the Suns ATS. The total has dropped from 224.5 to 223.5 with 52% of the bets and 51% of the money on the Over. The Clippers, +600 on the moneyline, are taking 56% of the bets but only 18% of the money.

George hasn't played in this series due to injury and will remain out, even if by some minor miracle the Clippers extend it to a sixth game. Leonard was fabulous in the first two games but hasn't played since then due to his own knee troubles, reportedly not related to the torn right ACL that cost him all of last season. Leonard has been getting ripped on social media for not sucking it up.

"It's been real hard [for him]... Kawhi is a trooper man. The fact that he got hurt Game 1, tried to play through it in Game 2. People think that he's out cause he doesn't want to play. I think it just attacks his character. ... I know it hurts," George said of his teammate.

Both Leonard and George pushed for the Clippers to sign Westbrook after he was traded by the Lakers to Utah and then bought out by the Jazz. Westbrook has looked like his MVP prime self the past two games with 37 and 30-point efforts, albeit in home losses. Westbook, who is set for free agency and thus possibly playing his final game with L.A., is the sixth player in franchise history to have consecutive postseason games with at least 30 points.

Westbrook Over 25.5 points (-120) is one of the most-wagered player props of the night, along with Phoenix's Torrey Craig Over 8.5 points (-135) and Devin Booker Over 30.5 (-120). Craig is averaging postseason career highs in scoring (15.5 points per game) but comes off an 8-point effort in the Game 4 loss.

Booker is second in the NBA in scoring (34.8 PPG) this postseason while shooting a career-best 57.4%. He has scored at least 30 points in a career-best three consecutive playoff games. The franchise record is five, set by Amar'e Stoudemire in the 2005 postseason. Booker's 16 career 30-point playoff games are tied with Charles Barkley for the most in franchise history. Booker and Barkley also are tied for the most 40-point games with five. 

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