The Los Angeles Clippers started the season with high expectations and were immediately faced with controversy surrounding Kawhi Leonardwith quequestions about whether one of his out-of-court deals was actually an additional payment on his franchise.
The next time the Clippers were prominently in the news, it was for abruptly firing Chris Paul in what would be his farewell season in the NBA.
On the court, there were few reasons to pay attention to the Clippers early this season. By mid-December, they fell to 6-21 and were largely absent from the major hoops discourse aside from “most disappointing teams in the NBA” lists.
Then they started winning games. Plenty of them, in fact. Since hitting what they surely hope was a low point, the Clippers have gone 13-3, producing the best record in the league over that stretch. They welcome the LA Lakers to the Intuit Dome in Inglewood as the city’s two teams battle for bragging rights.
Lakers vs. Clippers odds, prediction
Kawhi Leonard has been a crucial part of the Clippers’ recent turnaround. He was incredible, scoring 32.7 points per game, shooting 50 percent from the field, 44 percent from beyond the arc and 91 percent from the free throw line, on 8.2 attempts per game. And for the record, he’s averaging 2.6 steals and one block over that stretch, showing the two-way skills that made him an NBA Finals MVP.
Leonard has missed the Clippers’ last three games due to knee soreness and may not be available for this game, but there is still a lot to like about what the Clippers have been doing lately.
The same can’t be said for the Lakers. Unlike the Clippers, the Lakers opened the season with a strong 15-4 record, but are 11-12 since. Defense is the Lakeshow’s main culprit – they rank 29th out of 30 teams in the Defensive Rating as of December 1, allowing 119.4 points per 100 possessions.
Although no one at the Lakers is innocent of the lack of defensive effort, Luka Doncic and LeBron James, as two star players, bear a large share of the blame. With Austin Reaves out, the Lakers offense hasn’t been as dynamic enough to make up for what they’ve given up on defense.
With Doncic on the floor, the Lakers allow 4.5 more points per 100 possessions than when he is on the floor, and he plays the fourth-most minutes in the league at 36.3 per night. James, meanwhile, is no longer able to generate offense like he used to, which is to be expected at the age of 41.
Bet on the NBA?
With the way the Lakers are defending right now, especially in the paint, I don’t have much confidence that they will be able to contain James Harden, who ranks third in the league in points scored on drives (12.8).
When the defense helps, Harden can exploit the Lakers’ other weak point on defense with kickouts to corner 3-point shooters.
I like the Clippers to take cover against their crosstown rivals at home and take a 2-1 lead in their regular season series.
The Pick: Clippers -2 (-106, FanDuel Sportsbook)
Why trust New York Post betting
Malik Smith has been immersed in the sports betting industry since 2017. He is a data nerd with a particular focus on the NBA and martial arts. He spends his winter weeknights looking for NBA player prop benefits with more money.
#Lakers #Prediction #Clippers #NBA #odds #picks #bet #Thursday