NBA Odds: Clippers (even)
The Los Angeles Clippers (36-19) look to extend their five-game home winning streak in a matchup against the Sacramento Kings (18-34). The game starts at 10:00 pm ET on Saturday, Feb. 21 and will air on CSN-CA and FSN-PT.
The Clippers were victorious over the Spurs 119-115 on Thursday. With 26 points and 18 rebounds, DeAndre Jordan recorded his 28th double-double this season. The Kings, meanwhile, are coming off a 111-103 loss to the Bucks on Wednesday. DeMarcus Cousins had a solid game, recording his 33rd double-double of the season with 28 points and 19 rebounds.
Over the last five games, Jordan has really been playing well for the Clippers. During that stretch, he has averaged 17.8 points, 16.4 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.6 blocks.
The high-powered Clippers offense (first in the NBA with an offensive efficiency of 110.3) will square off against the poor Kings defense (26th in the league with a defensive efficiency of 105.5), a matchup that should favor the Clippers. Also, the offense of the Kings seems ready to earn plenty of trips to the line. They rank first in the NBA in free throw attempt rate (36.7), while the Clippers are among the league’s most foul-happy teams (allowing a 27th-ranked mark of 31.0).
The two teams have split their matchups this season. The Clippers had the upper hand in the most recent game, a 117-108 win. Blake Griffin scored a game-high 30 points.
Oddsmakers have deemed this game an even matchup and the Over/Under (O/U) is currently unavailable. The Clippers are attempting to build on their records of 36-19 Straight Up (SU) and 23-32 Against The Spread (ATS). They have a record of 7-2 SU and 4-5 ATS when playing their division. The Clippers come into the game with the second-ranked scoring offense in the league, averaging 107.0 points per game. Los Angeles is excellent from the perimeter with 531 three-pointers made (9.7 per game), the fifth-most in the league. Spreading the ball around is a huge part of Los Angeles’s offense. They are third in the league in assists with an average of 24.6 per game. Los Angeles has given up very few turnovers with only an average of 11.5 per game.
Across the court, Sacramento has a SU record of 18-34 and an ATS record of 21-29-2. Sacramento has been particularly bad ATS over its past ten matchups, going 3-7. The Kings are getting to the foul line at a high rate, with an NBA-best 1,181 free throws made (22.7 per game).
Following the Clippers’ latest win over Sacramento, their SU record rises to 8-2 over the Kings in the last 10 meetings. However, with a 6-4 record, the Kings have the advantage ATS. When it comes to field goals, rebounds, and three-pointers, Los Angeles held the edge in all three of these categories twice in the last 10 meetings. Sacramento never did so in those games.
Predictions: SU Winner – LAC, ATS Winner – LAC
Notes
Los Angeles is one of the top scoring teams, averaging 107.0 points per game (ranked second). Sacramento, on the other hand, allows 104.2 points per game (ranked 27th).
Los Angeles is one of the top scoring teams at home, averaging 107.5 points per game (ranked second). Sacramento, on the other hand, gives up 106.1 points per away game (ranked 28th).
In games where they allow fewer than 100 points, the Los Angeles Clippers are a stellar 23-2. In games where they fail to hit triple digits, the Sacramento Kings have a subpar record of 5-19.
Los Angeles has a 13-17 record when allowing at least 100 points. Sacramento has a 13-15 record when it reaches the century mark.
The Clippers have the league’s top offensive rating (110.3). The Kings have a defensive rating of 105.5 (ranked 26th).
Los Angeles averages fewer possessions per game than Sacramento, with 97.0 compared to 98.8. However, the Clippers score an average of 1.103 points per possession, more than the 1.013 that the Kings score.
The Los Angeles Clippers have one of the best effective field goal percentages this season, ranking third in the league with an EFF% of 53.1%. When their opponents record a similar or higher EFF%, the Sacramento Kings are winless with a 0-16 record.
The Los Angeles Clippers rank third in assists per game, making an average of 24.6. The Sacramento Kings are among the worst in the league with 19.3 assists per game (ranked 30th).
The Los Angeles Clippers average 4.7 blocks per game for a rank of 15th. The Sacramento Kings rank lower (29th), earning 3.9 blocks each game.
The Los Angeles Clippers rank 27th in offensive rebounding, while the Sacramento Kings rank sixth in defensive rebounding.
Sacramento makes an average of 6.3 steals per game. Los Angeles has a winning 23-14 record when it allows at least 6 steals.
