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The San Antonio Spurs are continuing their nine-game homestand at AT&T Center with a two-game set against the Los Angeles Clippers. With that said, it’s time to continue our NBA odds series and make a Clippers-Spurs prediction and pick.
The Clippers are on a two-game winning streak as they take over the third seed in the western conference with a record of 28-16. Meanwhile, the Spurs are currently sitting in the seventh seed with a record of 22-18 after losing their last two games.
Here’s how sportsbooks have set the opening Clippers-Spurs odds.
NBA Odds: Clippers-Spurs Odds
Los Angeles Clippers -6 (-105)
San Antonio Spurs +6 (-115)
Over 220.5 Points (-110)
Under 220.5 Points(-110)
Why The Clippers Could Cover The Spread
The Clippers are being led by their two stars in Paul George and Kawhi Leonard.
Their duo has been getting it done this season as George has been averaging 22.5 points, 5.5 assists, and 6.0 rebounds while shooting a near 50% from the field and 45% from behind the 3-point line. Leonard has been putting up 25.9 points, 4.9 assists, and 6.3 rebounds per game while shooting 51% from the field and 40% from behind the 3-point line.
The Clippers can't rely on just Paul George and Kawhi Leonard every game and expect to win. They'll need to find contributions elsewhere which have been the problem this season so far.
Whether it be Lou Williams, Marcus Morris Sr., or Serge Ibaka, the Clippers can never know what to expect.
In just the last three games, Lou Williams has contributed two points against the Atlanta Hawks, 15 points against the Charlotte Hornets, and five points against the Dallas Mavericks.
The last two games that the Clippers have won also speak to the fact that they need multiple contributors aside from George and Leonard in order to win.
Against the Hornets Saturday night, the Clippers had seven players score in double digits to win by 27 points. Against the Hawks, the Clippers had two 20-point scorers off the bench in Terrance Mann and Luke Kennard.
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If the Clippers can find contributors aside from their two stars, they are a very hard team to beat and will have a great opportunity to cover the spread and to continue their win streak against the Spurs.
Why The Spurs Could Cover The Spread
The Spurs have won five of their last ten games but unfortunately, find themselves on a two-game losing streak.
What differentiates the Spurs from most teams is how well-balanced the team is. The Spurs have eight players averaging double-digit points per game with DeMar DeRozan leading the way with 20.6 points per game.
The Spurs' star DeMar DeRozan is also putting up a career-high in assists per game for a given season with 7.4 assists as he looks to handle the ball more to find his teammates for the open shots.
The worry for the Spurs isn't necessarily on the offensive end tonight but rather as a team collectively trying to slow down both Paul George and Kawhi Leonard who are the main producers for the Clippers.
If the Spurs can contain the two stars for the Clippers even the tiniest and are able to find contributions from multiple starters and players off the bench, the Spurs will have a great shot at covering the spread against the Clippers.
Final Clippers-Spurs Prediction & Pick
The Clippers are currently on a two-game winning streak even despite two poor offensive showings from Paul George, much because of key players deciding to step up like Terrance Mann, Lou Williams, and Luke Kennard. Let's not expect offensive showings from these players to happen consistently on a night-to-night basis but the Clippers won't be needing as much production as they do because the Spurs are one of the lowest-scoring teams in the NBA.
Ultimately, the Clippers are simply a better offensive and defensive team than the Spurs. It has to be Paul George or Kawhi Leonard that contain the Spurs' best player in DeMar DeRozan, who also runs the offense, so it should be a tough night for their team. The Clippers should pick up the win and cover the spread in route to their third straight win.
FINAL SCORE PREDICTION & PICK FOR CLIPPERS-SPURS: LAC 102, SAS 90 (LAC -6)
