The Los Angeles Clippers entered the season with high expectations and immediately faced controversy surrounding Kawhi Leonard, with questions about whether one of his off-court deals was actually an additional payment from his franchise.
The next time the Clippers were featured prominently in the news, it was for abruptly dismissing Chris Paul in what was supposed to be his farewell season in the NBA.
On the court, there were very few reasons to pay attention to the Clippers early this season. They fell to 6-21 by mid-December and were largely absent from the main hoops discourse, aside from the “most disappointing teams in the NBA” lists.
Then they started winning games. Tons of them, in fact. Since hitting what they certainly hope was rock bottom, the Clippers have gone 13-3, putting together the best record in the league over that stretch. They welcome the L.A. Lakers to the Intuit Dome in Inglewood as the city’s two teams clash for bragging rights.
Lakers vs. Clippers odds, prediction
Kawhi Leonard has been a crucial piece to the Clippers’ recent turnaround. He’s been incredible, putting up 32.7 points per game, shooting 50 percent from the field, 44 percent from beyond the arc, and 91 percent from the free throw line on 8.2 attempts per game. And just for good measure, he’s averaging 2.6 steals and one block over that stretch, showcasing the two-way ability that made him an NBA Finals MVP.
Leonard has missed the Clippers’ past three games with knee soreness and may not be available for this game, but there’s still a lot to like about what the Clippers have done recently.
The same can’t be said for the Lakers. In contrast to the Clippers, the Lakers opened the season with a strong 15-4 record, but are 11-12 since. Defense has been the main culprit for the Lakeshow — they rank 29th out of 30 teams in Defensive Rating since Dec. 1, allowing 119.4 points per 100 possessions.
While no one on the Lakers is blameless for the lack of defensive effort, Luka Doncic and LeBron James shoulder much of the blame as the two star players. With Austin Reaves out, the Lakers offense hasn’t been as dynamic enough to make up for what they’ve been giving up on the defensive end.
With Doncic on the floor, the Lakers are allowing 4.5 more points per 100 possessions than when he’s on the floor, and he’s playing the fourth-most minutes in the league at 36.3 per night. James, meanwhile, hasn’t been able to generate offense the way he used to, which is to be expected at 41 years old.
Betting on the NBA?
With the way the Lakers are defending right now, specifically in the paint, I don’t have a lot of confidence that they will be able to contain James Harden, who ranks third in the league on points scored off drives (12.8).
When the defense helps, Harden can exploit the Lakers’ other weak point on defense with kick-outs to corner 3-point shooters.
I like the Clippers to cover at home against their crosstown rivals and grab a 2-1 edge in their regular-season series.
The Pick: Clippers -2 (-106, FanDuel Sportsbook)
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Malik Smith has been immersed in the sports betting industry since 2017. He’s a data nerd with a particular focus on the NBA and combat sports. He spends his weeknights in the winter looking for edges on plus-money NBA player props.
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