In a busy night of sports action, the Phoenix Suns are set to begin a three-game road trip with a matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers. This will be the second meeting between the two teams this season, with the Clippers emerging victorious in their previous encounter with a score of 131-122. However, the Suns are expected to be at near-full strength for this game, with Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal back in action after missing their team's loss to the Clippers last week.

The Suns, currently standing at a record of 19-17, have had their fair share of challenges this season, with injuries hindering the performance of their newly acquired superstar, Bradley Beal. Despite these setbacks, the Suns are just 3.5 games behind the division-leading Clippers in the highly competitive Pacific Division. With the last-placed Warriors still within striking distance of first place, every game becomes crucial in the race for the division title.

For the Suns, having all their stars available is crucial as they rely heavily on their offense for success. However, luck has not been on their side so far, as they rank 27th in TeamRankings' luck ratings. Nevertheless, the Suns remain optimistic that their luck will even out and they will climb up the standings.

On the other side, the Clippers are coming off a disappointing performance against the Lakers on Sunday night, with Kawhi Leonard finishing with just 15 points in 35 minutes of play. This lackluster performance raises questions about Leonard's ability to perform on consecutive nights, especially considering that he maxed out his minutes restriction on the first night of a back-to-back.

While the Clippers have no additional motivation for this game, the Suns are determined to improve their divisional record of 3-6. The Suns have shown resilience in the past when playing on a back-to-back after a loss, with a 10-3 record against the spread over the past four seasons. Additionally, the Suns have performed better on the road this season, making them a strong contender in this matchup.

Moving on to the NBA game between the Boston Celtics and the Indiana Pacers, the Celtics will be looking to continue their recent success against the Pacers. In their previous meeting, the Celtics emerged victorious with a score of 118-101, led by Jayson Tatum's 38 points and Jaylen Brown's 31 points. The Pacers, known for their high-scoring offense, have struggled against the Celtics, scoring some of their lowest point totals of the season in their matchups.

The Pacers, who boast the NBA's best offense, averaging 126.8 points per game, have been limited by the Celtics' strong defense. In their previous two meetings, the total points scored fell short of the set totals, suggesting that another low-scoring game could be in store for Monday's matchup.

Finally, in the NHL, the New York Rangers will face off against the Vancouver Canucks. Despite their strong position in the Metropolitan Division, the Rangers have recently experienced a slight dip in form. The Canucks, on the other hand, have been trending in the right direction, with improved 5-on-5 numbers and a strong power play.

Both teams possess elite goaltending and skill in their lineups, making for an intriguing matchup. However, with the Canucks showing more promise in recent games and the Rangers struggling to maintain consistency, the underdog Canucks may have an edge in this game.

Overall, Monday night promises to be an exciting night of sports action, with key matchups in the NBA and NHL. Fans will be eagerly watching to see if the Suns can bounce back against the Clippers, if the Celtics can continue their dominance over the Pacers, and if the Canucks can upset the Rangers.