The Los Angeles Clippers (56-26) and their first-ranked offense welcome the San Antonio Spurs (55-27) and their second-ranked defense. Action begins at 10:30 pm ET on Sunday, Apr. 19 and can be seen on TNT.
The Clippers played well in their last game, topping the Suns 112-101 in their last matchup. Blake Griffin was a key piece with 20 points, eight rebounds, and five assists. The Spurs, meanwhile, are feeling some disappointment after the 108-103 loss against the Pelicans in their last game. San Antonio still lost despite the best efforts of Tim Duncan, who recorded his 33rd double-double of the season with 15 points and 10 rebounds.
DeAndre Jordan has taken his game to another level over the last five games for the Clippers. During that stretch, he has averaged 14.6 points, 15.8 rebounds, 0.6 assists, 1.6 steals, and 2.4 blocks. Duncan has upped his play for the Spurs. In the same five-game span, he is averaging 16.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.4 steals, and 2.6 blocks.
This showdown pits one of the league’s top offenses against one of its elite defenses, as Los Angeles currently ranks first in the NBA in offensive efficiency and San Antonio is second in defensive efficiency.
Both teams have won a game in the season series. The Clippers had the upper hand in the most recent game, a 119-115 win. Duncan finished with 30 points and 11 rebounds.
The odds for Los Angeles and San Antonio are even, while the Over/Under (O/U) is unavailable as of now. The Clippers come into this game 56-26 Straight Up (SU) and 38-44 Against The Spread (ATS). While they boast a record of 20-6 against Western Conference opponents at home, they have struggled to beat the spread in those same games, going 10-16. The Clippers have seen an uptick in scoring as of late, averaging 110.4 points during the last 10 games compared to their season average of 0.0 points per game. The Clippers are one of the best in the NBA in terms of field-goal percentage, shooting an impressive .376 from beyond the arc. Los Angeles is the most disciplined team in the league with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.10. Los Angeles’s defense has fallen apart in the past 10 games. Its average points allowed per game rose to 99.6 during that span, compared to its 0.0 season average.
As for their opponent, the Spurs have 55-27 SU and 41-39-2 ATS records. San Antonio performed well ATS during its last 10 games, earning a 7-3 record. Offensively, the Spurs have really picked up the pace in the last 10 games. They have exceeded their season average of 0.0 points per game by averaging 106.8 during that stretch. The Spurs convert their free throws at a high percentage, ranking fourth in the league at .780. The Spurs are an unselfish team with an average of 24.4 assists per game, ranking fifth in the NBA. The Spurs average 0.0 points allowed per game, but have damaged those numbers in the past 10 games, allowing 93.4 points per game during that span.
With the Clippers’ last win against San Antonio, Los Angeles moved closer to evening up its record against San Antonio. It now stands at 4-6 SU over the last 10 meetings. The teams are even ATS, with a 5-5 record. In these last 10 matchups, San Antonio held the edge in field goals, rebounds, and three-pointers three times, with Los Angeles controlling all three of these areas two times.
Predictions: SU Winner – LAC, ATS Winner – LAC
Notes
San Antonio’s offense and Los Angeles’ defense are well matched, ranking zeroth in points per game and points allowed per game respectively. San Antonio scores an average of 0.0 points per game, while Los Angeles gives up 0.0 points per game.
San Antonio and Los Angeles are well matched, ranking zeroth in points per away game and points allowed at home respectively. San Antonio scores an average of 0.0 points on the road, while Los Angeles gives up 0.0 points at home on average.
In games where they allow fewer than 100 points, the San Antonio Spurs are a superb 40-9. In games where they score fewer than 100 points, the Los Angeles Clippers have an underachieving record of 8-14.
When the San Antonio Spurs allow at least 100 points they are 15-18, while the Los Angeles Clippers are 48-12 when they reach the century mark.
The Clippers have a defensive rating of 102.7 (ranked 16th), while the Spurs rank seventh for their offensive rating of 105.9.
San Antonio has an average field goal percentage of 46.8% (ranked third). Los Angeles is a poor 10-16 when opponents have a similar or higher field goal percentage.
On average, Los Angeles attempts 26.9 three pointers and San Antonio attempts 22.5 per game. Both teams have winning records when they have 25 or more three point attempts. The Clippers sit at 37-16 and the Spurs are 17-10.
The Los Angeles Clippers top the league in assist to turnover ratio this season with an A/TO of 2.10. The San Antonio Spurs are also among the best (ranked fifth) with an A/TO of 1.81.
The Los Angeles Clippers rebound 42.6 times per game and are ranked 20th. Ranked 15th, the San Antonio Spurs rebound 43.6 times per game.
The San Antonio Spurs rank 27th in offensive rebounding, while the Los Angeles Clippers rank 10th in defensive rebounding.
The Los Angeles Clippers’ opponents have had an average turnover percentage of 13.9% this season. The San Antonio Spurs have a winning 25-16 record when their TOV% is 13.9% or higher.
