NBA Odds: Clippers (even)
The Los Angeles Clippers (40-21) welcome the Portland Trail Blazers (39-19) in a matchup that pits the first-ranked offense against the fourth-ranked defense. The game gets underway at 10:30 pm ET on Wednesday, Mar. 4 and will air on ESPN, CSN-NW and FSN-PT.
The Clippers beat the Timberwolves 110-105 on Monday. With 26 points and 14 assists, Chris Paul recorded his 30th double-double this season. The Trail Blazers, meanwhile, are coming off a 110-99 win over the Kings on Sunday. Damian Lillard led the game in scoring with 31 points on 11-for-20 shooting.
Over the last five games, DeAndre Jordan and Paul have played at a high level for the Clippers. During that stretch, Jordan has averaged 13.4 points, 20.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.8 blocks. Not to be outdone, Paul has put up 25.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 12.6 assists, 1.4 steals, 0.6 blocks, and 1.4 three-pointers.
The game should be a battle of strength against strength, as the high-powered offense of Los Angeles (first in the NBA with an offensive efficiency of 109.6) takes on the top-notch defense of Portland (fourth in the league with a defensive efficiency of 99.6).
The Clippers have won both contests against the Trail Blazers this season, including a 100-94 victory in their last matchup. LaMarcus Aldridge played a big role with 37 points and 12 rebounds.
Oddsmakers have deemed this game an even matchup and the Over/Under (O/U) is currently unavailable. The Clippers enter the game with records of 40-21 Straight Up (SU) and 26-35 Against The Spread (ATS). They have a record of 26-10 SU and 16-20 ATS versus the Western Conference. The Clippers have one of the most prolific home offenses in the entire league, averaging 107.5 points per game. The Clippers, sporting the best assist-to-turnover ratio in the NBA (2.1), have proven themselves to be an extremely efficient offensive team.
On the other side, the Trail Blazers head into the game with records of 29-28-1 ATS and 39-19 SU. Portland has a record of 21-13 SU and 17-16-1 ATS against the West. The Trail Blazers are an excellent long-range shooting team with 584 three-point shots made (10.1 per game) that ranks fifth in the NBA. The Trail Blazers are a terror on the defensive glass, averaging an impressive 34.8 defensive rebounds per game.
Following the Clippers’ latest win over Portland, their SU record rises to 7-3 over the Trail Blazers in the last 10 meetings. However, the Trail Blazers lead the matchup ATS with a record of 5-4-1. Portland held the edge in field goals, rebounds, and three-pointers once in the last 10, while Los Angeles wasn’t able to do so in that span.
Predictions: SU Winner – LAC, ATS Winner – LAC
Notes
Portland ranks eighth in points per game with 102.5, while Los Angeles ranks 19th in points allowed with an average of 100.4 given up.
Los Angeles ranks 15th in points allowed per home game (98.5 PPG), while Portland ranks eighth in points per away game with 102.6.
In games where they allow fewer than 100 points, the Portland Trail Blazers are an outstanding 30-7. In games where they score fewer than 100 points, the Los Angeles Clippers have a losing record of 5-10.
Portland is 9-12 when allowing 100 or more points this season. The Clippers have a dazzling 35-11 record when hitting triple digits.
The Clippers have a defensive rating of 103.2 (ranked 16th), while the Trail Blazers rank eighth for their offensive rating of 104.7.
The Los Angeles Clippers have one of the best field goal percentages this season, ranking second in the league with a FG% of 47.2%. When their opponents have a similar or higher FG%, the Portland Trail Blazers are 7-8.
The Portland Trail Blazers rank lower for their field goal percentage (18th) than their effective field goal percentage (10th), while the Los Angeles Clippers rank the same for both metrics (second).
Los Angeles ranks near the top of the league in assists at fourth (24.3 assists per game). Portland is ranked ninth, with 22.1 assists per game.
Los Angeles makes an average of 5.0 blocks per game (ranked ninth), while Portland makes 4.9 blocks per game (ranked 11th).
Los Angeles ranks 27th in offensive rebounds, while Portland ranks second in defensive rebounds.
The Los Angeles Clippers make an average of 7.8 steals per game. When the Portland Trail Blazers allow 7 or more steals, they are a solid 25-15.
