The Los Angeles Clippers welcome the Boston Celtics to the Staples Center. Action begins at 10:30 pm ET on Monday, Mar. 28 and can be seen on NBA, PRI and CNE.
The Clippers enter this game hoping for similar success after topping the Nuggets 105-90 on Sunday. DeAndre Jordan played a pivotal role, recording his 45th double-double of the season with 16 points and 16 rebounds. The Celtics, meanwhile, are coming off a 102-99 win against the Suns on Saturday. Isaiah Thomas was the game’s top scorer, accounting for 28 points on 8-for-20 shooting.
From an effective field goal percentage perspective, this will be a matchup of two heavyweights. Los Angeles’s sharp-shooting offense is ranked fifth in the league in that metric at 52.0%, while Boston is fourth-best in the NBA at making opponents miss (48.1%).
This is the second game of the season between these two teams, with the Celtics winning the first matchup 139-134. Chris Paul had a double-double in the loss with 35 points and 13 assists.
The Clippers have gone 45-27 Straight Up (SU) and 33-37-2 Against The Spread (ATS). They are 45-27 SU and 33-37-2 ATS against the Eastern Conference. Los Angeles is one of the most disciplined teams in the league with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.80. Los Angeles’s defense can be considered one of the best in the league. The Clippers allow a .438 opponent field-goal percentage, one of the lowest shooting rates in the league.
Over on the other bench, the Celtics have 43-30 SU and 38-33-2 ATS records. Boston has not performed well ATS during its last 10 games, earning a 2-8 record. The Celtics convert their free throws at a high percentage, ranking fifth in the league at .791. Boston is the fifth-best team in the league at scoring points off turnovers with 18.4 per game.
Boston beat Los Angeles in their most recent meeting this season, but the win was not enough to overtake Los Angeles in the most recent head-to-head series. Its record is now 4-6 SU over the last 10 meetings. The teams are even ATS, with a 5-5 record.
Predictions: SU Winner – LAC
Notes
“LA Clippers is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games “.
“The total has gone UNDER in 16 of LA Clippers’s last 23 games “.
“LA Clippers is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games at home”.
“LA Clippers is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games at home”.
“The total has gone UNDER in 10 of LA Clippers’s last 11 games at home”.
“LA Clippers is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Boston”.
“LA Clippers is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Boston”.
“The total has gone OVER in 4 of LA Clippers’s last 6 games when playing Boston”.
“LA Clippers is 6-12-1 ATS in its last 19 games when playing at home against Boston”.
“LA Clippers is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Boston”.
“The total has gone UNDER in 7 of LA Clippers’s last 9 games when playing at home against Boston”.
The Boston Celtics are among the highest-scoring squads, earning an average of 105.8 points per game (ranked fifth), while the Los Angeles Clippers are in the top half of NBA teams in points allowed with 101.0 (ranked 10th).
Los Angeles has allowed an average of 98.9 points per home game this season. Boston averages 105.5 points per away game, placing the team fifth in scoring.
When allowing fewer than 100 points, the Clippers are 33-3 on the season. When the Celtics score fewer than 100, they are a losing 6-14.
When allowing 100 or more points in a game, the Clippers are just 12-24 this season. Boston is a winning 37-16 when it reaches the century mark.
The Celtics have a defensive rating of 101.0, fourth-best in the NBA. The Clippers also rank in the top half of the league for their offensive rating of 106.7 (ranked sixth).
Los Angeles averages fewer possessions per game than Boston, with 97.9 compared to 101.5. However, the Clippers score an average of 1.067 points per possession, more than the 1.042 that the Celtics score.
The Los Angeles Clippers have one of the best effective field goal percentages this season, ranking fifth in the league with an EFF% of 52.0%. When their opponents record a similar or higher EFF%, the Boston Celtics have an abysmal 2-15 record.
The Boston Celtics, ranked fifth in the NBA, average 24.2 assists per game. The Los Angeles Clippers make 22.6 assists (ranked 12th).
The Los Angeles Clippers average 5.6 blocks per game for a rank of eighth. The Boston Celtics rank lower (23rd), earning 4.2 blocks each game.
Los Angeles is ranked 27th when it comes to offensive rebounding. Boston ranks 14th in defensive rebounds.
The Los Angeles Clippers rank ninth in steals, with an average of 8.4 per game. When the Boston Celtics allow at least 8 steals, they have a solid 23-13 record.
