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The Los Angeles Clippers take on the Sacramento Kings. Check out our NBA odds series, which includes our Clippers-Kings prediction and pick.
The Los Angeles Clippers enter this season with the legitimate belief that they can make their first-ever NBA Finals. It's reasonable to think so. Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are back and healthy. They got a lot of rest over the past year. They might be rusty, but they are fresh, and before Father Time robs them of more speed and burst in future seasons, this might be the year in which they can max out and give the Clippers their very best basketball. Coach Ty Lue got the most he could out of last season's team in light of all the injuries. Dragging the Clippers into the play-in round was quite an achievement, given the limitations on the roster with multiple stars hurt. Now the Clippers have a lot of depth, and they can aspire to a deep playoff run in the loaded Western Conference.
The Clippers' first game of the season against the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday was not impressive … but it was a win. Just grabbing wins in these uncertain first few games of the season is important. It's exactly what will lead to a higher playoff seed and home-court advantage in April and May. Winning this game in Sacramento would give another boost to the Clippers' credentials, affirming the belief this team is ready to shatter the long-existing Clipper Curse and write a new story in franchise history.
The Sacramento Kings fell to the Portland Trail Blazers in their season opener. They allowed 115 points and did not inspire confidence in their ability to make important defensive stops. Not having the electric offense of Tyrese Haliburton, who is now with the Indiana Pacers, certainly hurt in a high-scoring game. The Kings might need to be a team which wins games 120-115 this season. Lacking Haliburton will make it harder to do that. Domantas Sabonis is a fine player, but that trade with the Pacers in which Haliburton was shipped out of town could become yet another black cloud which lingers over the Kings all season.
Here are the Clippers-Kings NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NBA Odds: Clippers-Kings Odds
Los Angeles Clippers: -3 (-108)
Sacramento Kings: +3 (-112)
Over: 225 (-110)
Under: 225 (-110)
Why The Clippers Could Cover The Spread
The Clippers have played just one game in the first four days of the NBA season, so they're certainly not going to be tired or worn down for this game against the Kings. Los Angeles can look at Sacramento's porous defense and identify plenty of angles for attack. The Clippers have a loaded roster which should be able to score at will against the Kings and win this game at the offensive end of the floor. The Clippers should be able to get to the rim with regularity and force Sacramento to play defense without fouling. That will be tough for the Kings to do.
Why The Kings Could Cover The Spread
It's the early portion of the NBA season. We're seeing all sorts of crazy plot twists, such as the Utah Jazz beating the Nuggets and Timberwolves to go 2-0. The Chicago Bulls won in Miami against the Heat and then lost in D.C. against the Washington Wizards. The Nuggets lost to the Jazz and then beat the Warriors on the road. With all of these wild events taking place, the Kings beating the Clippers would fit right in.
Final Clippers-Kings Prediction & Pick
The Clippers are a markedly better team than the Kings. Sacramento doesn't play good defense. Let's not overcomplicate this.
Final Clippers-Kings Prediction & Pick: Clippers -3
