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The Los Angeles Clippers are set to take on the Boston Celtics on Wednesday in what should be an interesting interconference matchup. With that said, it’s a good time to check out our NBA odds series, which includes our Clippers-Celtics prediction, odds, and pick we have laid out below.
The Clippers and Celtics will square off on Wednesday night in Boston as both teams continue to suffer the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak in the NBA. Celtics star Jayson Tatum entered the league's health and safety protocols on Monday. The 23-year old joins five other players who are listed as out due to protocols. These are Dennis Schroder, Enes Freedom, Aaron Nesmith, CJ Miles, and Bruno Fernando. Marcus Smart is questionable with a hand injury.
Meanwhile, LA is dealing with a massive injury blow after Paul George went down with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. The All-Star wing does not have an official timetable for a return but will be reevaluated in three to four weeks. The Clippers are now dealing with injuries to their two star forwards as Kawhi Leonard is still recovering from a partially torn ACL he suffered in the 2021 NBA Playoffs. LA will need to navigate through this next month, at least, without Leonard and George.
Both teams are obviously dealing with injuries to their star players. Likewise, Boston and LA are both bleeding for wins, which makes this matchup critical for the two teams. The Celtics have lost seven of their last 10, while the Clips are losers of five of their last six.
Here is how FanDuel has set the Clippers-Celtics odds for this Wednesday night NBA matchup.
NBA odds: Clippers-Celtics Odds
Clippers: +6 (-114)
Celtics: -6 (-106)
Over: 209.5 (-110)
Under: 209.5 (-110)
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Why the Clippers Could Cover the Spread
The Clippers may be at a disadvantage here due to the personnel they are missing. Not only are they missing their two superstars in Leonard and George, they are also going to be without some key rotation pieces. Nicolas Batum and Isaiah Hartenstein are both sidelined with ankle injuries, while Reggie Jackson is in the NBA's health and safety protocols. LA is definitely missing a lot of offensive firepower and primary playmakers with all these guys not in uniform.
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With that said, where will the Clippers generate offense? Guys such as Marcus Morris, Terance Mann, and Luke Kennard will need to step up. Morris recently returned from a four-game absence and top-scored for the Clips with 24 points in their 16-point defeat to the Brooklyn Nets on Monday. His return is definitely a welcome sight for Clippers fans and could give a boost to their offense. Nonetheless, LA hangs its hat on the defensive end. Perhaps this could be enough to stifle a Celtics squad that is 21st in offensive rating. However, without PG-13 and Batum, they could take a step back defensively.
The Clippers still sits at sixth in the Western Conference with an even 17-17 record. They are 5-7 on the road and have not gone under .500 since Nov. 5.
Why the Celtics Could Cover the Spread
Personnel-wise, the Celtics have the edge over the Clippers in this one. They still have another All-Star wing in Jaylen Brown to cover for Tatum, who missed his first game this season in Boston's loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday. Payton Pritchard also stepped up in Tatum's absence, scoring 24 points to complement Brown's 26 against Minnesota. The Celtics also got a couple of big-man reinforcements back in Al Horford and Grant Williams, both of whom were in protocols recently.
The Celtics put up a valiant effort against the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks on Christmas Day before their loss to the Timberwolves. They led by as many as 19 in that contest, but Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks ultimately proved to be too much for them thanks to a late run.
This game against LA marks the beginning of a four-game home stand for Boston. They went 3-2 in their previous five-game home stand and are 9-6 overall at home. The Celtics are now 16-18 and have lost seven of their previous 10.
Final Clippers-Celtics Prediction & Pick
The Celtics should be able to cover and win here versus the Clippers. While both squads are short-handed, Boston still has enough offensive firepower to combat LA's defense. Choosing between two similarly undermanned squads, I'd take a team with a rising All-Star and proven veteran big man the Celtics have over a Clippers roster left with their role players. Playing at home looking to bounce back from a defeat to the Timberwolves, Boston should be motivated enough to treat this as a must-win game.
Final Clippers-Celtics Prediction & Pick: Celtics -6 (-106)
