The Los Angeles Clippers will be at the Staples Center to square off against a division foe in the Los Angeles Lakers. The game starts at 9:30 pm ET on Sunday, Apr. 5 and will air on NBA TV, FSN-PT and TWC SN.
The Lakers got blown out by the Trail Blazers 107-77 on Friday. Jordan Clarkson was the team’s high scorer, contributing 27. The Clippers, meanwhile, are coming off a 126-122 win over that same Trail Blazers squad on Wednesday. Chris Paul played well, recording 41 points and 17 assists to claim his 38th double-double of the season.
Over the last five games, Clarkson has really been playing well for the Lakers. During that stretch, he has averaged 20.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 6.6 assists, 1.0 steal, and 0.8 three-pointers. Paul has also been on a tear in the same span, averaging 25.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, 11.8 assists, 2.4 steals, and 2.6 three-pointers while leading the Clippers.
The high-octane offense of the Clippers (first in the league with an offensive efficiency of 109.4) will try to exploit the poor defense of the Lakers (28th in the NBA with a defensive efficiency of 107.1), a matchup that should be advantageous to Los Angeles.
The Clippers have won both matchups against the Lakers this season, including a 114-89 blowout in their last matchup. Blake Griffin scored a game-high 27 points.
The odds are even for this game and the Over/Under (O/U) is currently unavailable. The Lakers are looking to improve on their records of 20-55 Straight Up (SU) and 36-36-3 Against The Spread (ATS). They have gone 9-4 SU and 7-6 ATS against teams from their own division. Los Angeles has averaged 111.4 points per game over the last 10 games, higher than its season average of 98.5. Los Angeles has given up very few turnovers with only an average of 12.6 per game.
On the other side, Los Angeles has a SU record of 50-26 and an ATS record of 35-41. In divisional games, Los Angeles has gone 9-4 SU and 7-6 ATS. They sport the second-ranked scoring offense in the league, averaging 106.8 points per game. Los Angeles is one of the top three-point shooting teams in the league, hitting 10.1 shots from three-point range per game. Defenses have a tough time accounting for every player when up against the Clippers, who are known for distributing the ball with 24.7 assists per game. Los Angeles has not committed many turnovers, averaging only 11.8 per game.
Following the Clippers’ latest win over Los Angeles, their SU record rises to 9-1 over the Lakers in the last 10 games. The Clippers also hold the advantage ATS with a record of 8-2. When it comes to field goals, rebounds, and three-pointers, the Clippers held the edge in all three of these categories five times in the last 10 meetings. The Lakers did so once.
Predictions: SU Winner – LAC, ATS Winner – LAC
Notes
Ranked 18th, the Lakers score 98.5 points per game. On the other hand, the Los Angeles Clippers allow 100.7 and also ranks 18th (in points allowed).
On average, the Lakers put up 98.7 points per home game (ranked 20th). The Clippers rank 23rd in points allowed per road game with 103.2.
In their last game, the Lakers lost by a 30-point margin. The Los Angeles Clippers are 17-2 in games decided by a margin of 18 points or more. The Lakers have a 0-10 record in blowouts.
In games where they allow fewer than 100 points, the Los Angeles Clippers are a stellar 31-4. In games where they score fewer than 100 points, the Los Angeles Lakers have an underachieving record of 4-34.
The Los Angeles Clippers have a 19-22 record when their opponents score 100 points or more. The Los Angeles Lakers have a 16-21 record when they reach the century mark.
The Clippers have the league’s top offensive rating (109.4). The Lakers have a defensive rating of 107.1 (ranked 28th).
The Los Angeles Clippers have one of the best field goal percentages this season, ranking second in the league with a FG% of 47.3%. When their opponents record a similar or higher FG%, the Los Angeles Lakers have an abysmal 1-33 record.
On average, the Los Angeles Lakers attempt 18.7 three pointers and the Los Angeles Clippers attempt 26.7 per game. In games where the teams have 25 or more three point attempts, the Lakers have a 4-8 record while the Clippers have a winning 33-16 record.
The Los Angeles Clippers rank at the top of the league with an assist to turnover ratio of 2.09. The Lakers rank 13th with an A/TO of 1.66.
The Los Angeles Lakers rebound 44.0 times per game and are ranked 12th. Ranked 20th, the Los Angeles Clippers rebound 42.5 times per game.
The Los Angeles Lakers are ranked 13th in defensive rebounds, while the Clippers rank 28th in offensive rebounds.
The Clippers have forced an average turnover percentage of 13.8% this season. The Los Angeles Lakers have a subpar 7-18 record when their TOV% is 13.8% or higher.
