The San Antonio Spurs (45-8) will attempt to keep their six-game winning streak alive when they meet the Los Angeles Clippers (35-18) at the Staples Center. The game gets underway at 10:30 pm ET on Thursday, Feb. 18 and will air on TNT.
The Clippers lost to the Celtics 139-134 in their last game. Chris Paul recorded 35 points and 13 assists, earning his 22nd double-double of the year. The Spurs, meanwhile, are coming off a 98-96 win against the Magic in their last game. Kawhi Leonard led the game in scoring with 29 points on 12-for-19 shooting.
Over the last five games, LaMarcus Aldridge has been on a tear for the Spurs. During that stretch, he has averaged 25.0 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 0.6 steals, and 1.6 blocks.
From an effective field goal percentage perspective, this will be a matchup of two heavyweights. Los Angeles’s upper-echelon offense is ranked fourth in the league in that metric at 51.9%, while San Antonio is best in the NBA at making opponents miss (46.9%).
This will be the second matchup of the season between these two teams. The Spurs won the first game 115-107. In the loss, Paul had a double-double with 27 points and 10 assists.
The Clippers come into this game 35-18 Straight Up (SU) and 25-26-2 Against The Spread (ATS). They have a record of 35-18 SU and 25-26-2 ATS versus the Western Conference. The Clippers, sporting the third-best assist-to-turnover ratio in the NBA (1.80), have proven themselves to be an extremely efficient offensive team.
Across the court, the Spurs have a record of 34-19 ATS and 45-8 SU. San Antonio has records of 45-8 SU and 34-19 ATS against the West. The Spurs are shooting lights out from the foul line so far, with a .797 free throw percentage that ranks second in the NBA. When it comes to making good decisions with the ball, nobody is better than the Spurs. They are the top assist-to-turnover ratio team in the league at 1.96. San Antonio’s defense has allowed an average of 99.5 points per game during the last 10 games, higher than their season average of 91.8. Defensive rebounding is an area where San Antonio has excelled. The Spurs average 33.2 defensive rebounds per game, making them one of the best in the league. San Antonio may be taking trips to the free throw line early and often with the Clippers averaging 22.7 fouls per game, one of the highest marks in the NBA.
San Antonio won the last meeting this season between these two teams, 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 have an even record ATS, 5-5.
Predictions: SU Winner – SA
Notes
“LA Clippers is 15-8 ATS in its last 23 games “.
“LA Clippers is 19-5 SU in its last 24 games “.
“The total has gone UNDER in 6 of LA Clippers’s last 9 games “.
“LA Clippers is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games at home”.
“LA Clippers is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing San Antonio”.
“The total has gone OVER in 4 of LA Clippers’s last 5 games when playing San Antonio”.
“LA Clippers is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing at home against San Antonio”.
“LA Clippers is 6-17 SU in its last 23 games when playing at home against San Antonio”.
“The total has gone OVER in 4 of LA Clippers’s last 5 games when playing at home against San Antonio”.
The San Antonio Spurs are among the highest-scoring squads, earning an average of 105.0 points per game (ranked fifth), while the Los Angeles Clippers are in the top half of NBA teams in points allowed with 100.8 (ranked ninth).
San Antonio puts up an average of 103.3 points per away game (ranked seventh). Los Angeles ranks 14th in points allowed per home game with 99.8.
The Clippers have a 25-2 record when they allow fewer than 100 points. The Spurs, however, have performed well when they don’t hit triple digits, with a record of 11-6 in such contests.
The Los Angeles Clippers have a losing 10-16 record in games where they have allowed at least 100 points. The San Antonio Spurs are 34-2 when they hit triple digits.
The Spurs have the best defense in the NBA, with a defensive rating of 95.7. The Clippers’s offense ranks a solid sixth, with an offensive rating of 106.6.
The Los Angeles Clippers average 98.2 possessions per game and 1.066 points per possession, while the San Antonio Spurs earn fewer possessions (95.6) but more points per possession (1.099).
The Los Angeles Clippers have one of the best effective field goal percentages this season, ranking fourth in the league with an EFF% of 51.9%. The San Antonio Spurs have split their games 5-5 when opponents record a similar or higher EFF%.
San Antonio ranks near the top of the league in assists at third (25.2 assists per game). Los Angeles is ranked ninth, with 22.6 assists per game.
Los Angeles makes an average of 5.4 blocks per game (ranked 10th). San Antonio ranks higher in blocks with 5.9 (ranked sixth).
The Los Angeles Clippers are among the worst offensive rebounding teams (ranked 26th), while the San Antonio Spurs are one of the NBA’s top defensive rebounding teams (ranked third).
The Los Angeles Clippers make an average of 8.2 steals per game. When the San Antonio Spurs allow 8 or more steals, they are an exceptional 15-4.
