The Golden State Warriors (29-28) visit the Los Angeles Clippers (31-28) on Tuesday night! Action tips off at 10:00 p.m. ET. Below we continue our NBA odds series with a Warriors-Clippers prediction, pick, and how to watch.
Golden State has lost two of their last three games and sits in ninth place in the Western Conference. The Warriors covered 46% of their games while 62% went over the projected point total. Los Angeles has lost two straight but remains in sixth place in the West. The Clippers covered 49% of their games while 58% went under. This will be the second of four meetings between the division foes. Golden State took the first matchup back in November, 124-107.
Here are the Warriors-Clippers NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NBA Odds: Warriors-Clippers Odds
Golden State Warriors: +7.5 (-110)
Los Angeles Clippers: -7.5 (-110)
Over: 228.5 (-110)
Under: 228.5 (-110)
How To Watch Warriors vs. Clippers
TV: TNT, NBCS Bay Area
Stream: TNT Live
Time: 10:00 p.m. ET/ 7:00 p.m. PT
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Warriors Could Cover The Spread
Golden State is hanging on for dear life with Steph Curry out with an injury. While the Warriors are just trying to hang around the playoff mix with their star out, they still have a good chance to cover tonight as heavy underdogs. The Warriors feature an explosive offense that ranks second in scoring with 118.5 PPG. They are the single-best passing team in the league as they average a league-leading 29.9 PPG. Those extra passes lead to a ton of open shots for Golden State as the Warriors lead the league with 16.6 threes per game. That bodes well for their chances of covering tonight considering the Clippers' biggest weakness on defense is the three-ball.
With Curry out, the Warriors have been forced to lean heavily on both Jordan Poole and Klay Thompson. In games that Steph has missed, Poole leads the team with 27.5 PPG. He averages 4.9 APG during those games and additionally averages 3.3 made threes per game. Although habits coming off a quiet 14-point outing against the Wizards, Poole had scored 29 and 38 points in his two previous appearances.
Klay Thompson has been near as impressive, averaging 26.5 PPG without Curry. He's been a focal point of their offense with Steph out, leading the team in shot attempts in addition to averaging five made threes per game at a 40% clip. Although he is questionable to play on the second night of a back-to-back, Steve Kerr said he was hopeful Klay would be able to play.
The X-factor for the Warriors tonight is forward Andrew Wiggins. Wiggins is coming off one of his best games of the season last night when he scored 29 points in their win over Washington. Averaging 17.1 PPG for the season, Wiggins was especially impactful in their earlier win over the Clippers. Back in November, Wiggins scored 31 points in the Warriors' win. Expect more of the same tonight assuming he is good to go on the second night of a back-to-back.
Why The Clippers Could Cover The Spread
LA continues to be a rock-solid team on a night-to-night basis. The Clippers are the definition of a defensive-minded team. While they average the fourth-fewest points per game, they also allow the fourth-fewest points per game. They are especially strong at defending without fouling and forcing opponents into tough looks as they rank in the top 10 in nearly every defensive field goal percentage metric. Offensively, the Clippers struggle to score but are a strong outside-shooting team. LA ranks in the top 10 in both made threes and three-point percentage. That bodes well for their chances of covering tonight considering the Warriors rank in the bottom half of the league in three-point defense.
LA is led by the dynamic duo of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. George leads the team with 23.3 PPG and 5.2 APG while also chipping in 6.2 RPG. Leonard is right behind him with 22 PPG, 6.1 RPG, and 4.0 APG. Both players are tremendous defenders as well, combining for nearly four STOCKS per game (steals plus blocks). Additionally, they have both been red-hot from three. While George is a higher-volume outside shooter with three threes per game, they both shoot over 37% from deep.
The X-factor for LA is forward Norman Powell. Typically a three-and-D wing, Powell has been red-hot over their last five games, averaging 20.8 PPG while shooting 48% from the floor. Golden State is horrific on the defensive end and as a result, Powell should have plenty of open looks tonight.
Final Warriors-Clippers Prediction & Pick
Coming off a back-to-back, I don't expect the Warriors to keep things close tonight.
Final Warriors-Clippers Prediction & Pick: Los Angeles Clippers -7.5 (-110)
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