Whenever I lose a selection, particularly if I dont have the opportunity to watch the game, I sift through the numbers to see if there was anything flawed in my analysis.

I liked Phoenix plus the five points in Game 4 of the Suns/Clippers series with the rationale that the Clippers 62-34 rebounding edge in Game 2 was an aberration. I was convinced there was no way that the Clippers would outshoot the Suns from the field in four straight games.

It wasnt, they did, and I was staring at a loss in the premium play column.

In retrospect, I was probably (obviously) on the wrong side. Sure the Suns made a 12-0 run to cut it to one with 56 seconds left. An Elton Brand baseline jumper, a Sam I Am dagger three, and foul shots extended the Clippers lead to cover.

In the Suns 130-123 win in Game 1, rebounding was basically a push. The Clippers snared 39 with nine on the offensive glass. The Suns corralled 34, eight on the offensive end. Points in the paint were 48-42 Suns. The difference was the Suns 12-27 shooting from beyond the arc as opposed to just 4-12 for LA.

In the Clippers Game 2 route, the Clippers won the war on the boards 57 (19) 26 (5). Points in the paint went a whopping 58-36 to the Clippers. The obviously easy put backs more than made up for the Suns 9-4 edge from downtown.

Phoenix 94-91 win in Game 3 was decided from the foul line, the Suns converting 23-26 while the home team could only knock down just 14 of 20. Phoenix has slight 56-55 edge on the glass with each team grabbing eight offensive rebounds.

In Game 4, rebounding was again all Clippers including 16-9 ad on the offensive end. LA sank eight more free throws but lost battle of treys, 10-5.

To this point in the series, the Clippers have owned the boards 219-168, 52-30 on the offensive end. Points in the paint are 192-166 Clippers while the Suns have buried 38 threes to the Clippers 20. The Clippers are shooting 174-340 from the field for 50.1% while the Suns are 155-339 for 44.9 percent. Easy second chance points by the Clippers obviously accounts for the disparity in shooting.

To come out of this series, the Suns must find a way to the play the Clippers close to even on the glass. If Phoenix is one and done, the Suns are done. Im not really sure how you handicap how a team will shoot or rebound on any given night but it is painfully clear from the stat sheet what each of these teams must do to advance.