Los Angeles Clippers vs Golden State Warriors betting tips and predictions for Tuesday’s NBA game on TNT. Pacific Division rivals go at it tonight at crypto.com Arena as the Clippers host the defending champions Warriors. Read on for all our free predictions and betting tips.
Los Angeles Clippers
As soon as Kawhi Leonard goes out of the line-up the Clippers are no longer the same team. LA is hoping to have him back for tonight’s game against the Warriors, a team that’s beaten them 124-107 back in late November in the first meeting of the season.
Losing the last 2 games was a missed opportunity for the Clippers as they had a chance to climb all the way up to the 4th seed surpassing Dallas and Phoenix, instead the Pelicans who are in 7th are now just a half game behind them. Beating the Warriors will be a tough task, the Clippers have just 4 wins in the last 16 meetings. One encouraging stat is their 4-1 SU record in the last 5 games vs Western Conference opponents though.
Golden State Warriors
Golden State is also on a 2-game losing streak entering tonight’s game following their unexpected home loss to the Lakers 109-103 over the weekend. Stephen Curry didn’t play in that game, he is expected back after the all-star break, so the Warriors have to find a way to keep their ship afloat without their best player.
The good news is Klay Thompson has been cleared to play in back-to-backs, without him they’d stand no chance in tonight’s game. A lot is also depended on the play of Jordan Poole who has completely taken over the reigns at the point guard position in Steph’s absence. He had a poor shooting night in the first meeting of the season vs the Clippers, so keep an eye on him to make amends in tonight’s game.
Despite the 2-game losing streak, the Warriors have been in both games and lost by 6 and 3 points in the end. Tonight they are 8.5 point underdogs, I don’t think the Clippers will dominate this one. They’ll have a couple of new players inserted into the line-up, it might take some time for them to figure things out. Take the road team and the extra points here.
Los Angeles Clippers vs Golden State Warriors Predictions & Odds
Two things separate these Clippers from other teams in the West – their pace of play and their defensive efficiency. They average just 99.7 possessions per game, ranking 25th in the NBA and they have the 12th best defense allowing just 110.9 points per 100 possessions. Kawhi coming back adds another versatile elite defender they can use on Wiggins, Thompson or Poole so the defending champions could be in trouble here.
The Warriors have only the 17th best offensive rating in road games this season, they’re 29th in turnover percentage in those games. The last 10 meetings have gone 5-5 on the O/U with just 219.6 points per game on average scored in those games. With a stunning 4-13 record on the O/U in the last 17 Clipper home games, I’m taking the under in this one as well.
