The Los Angeles Clippers are hanging around in the playoff race, and if they can sneak in, Wednesday’s matchup may be a harbinger of things to come. If Los Angeles can grab the No. 8 seed it would likely face off with the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the postseason.
Golden State will aim to prove that it wouldn’t be much of a series by dominating the Clippers at home. The Warriors have the best record in the NBA, which is a surprise to exactly no one, and looks poised to make another run that could culminate in a championship.
Golden State will be a big-time favorite in this game even if Kevin Durant cannot play and will look to overwhelm the Clippers and cruise to the win.
Don't miss the hardwood action from Oracle Arena at 10:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, January 10, 2018. Catch every moment of the game live on ESPN.
We'll have NBA odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the NBA Wednesday schedule.
Odds Analysis
The Clippers are 17-21 straight up and 20-18 against the spread. They have been the underdog in 19 games and covered in eight of them. Los Angeles is 10-9 against the spread as the road team and will undoubtedly get many points as it doesn’t necessarily need to keep this game close in order to cover.
The Warriors are 32-8 straight up and 19-21 against the spread. They have covered in nine of 20 attempts at home this season. Golden State has been favored in every game this season and that certainly won’t be changing in this matchup.
Last Meeting
These teams played on Saturday and the Warriors cruised to the win. Stephen Curry scored a season-high 45 points in only 30 minutes of action as Golden State captured a 121-105 victory. Curry shot 11-of-21 from the field and nailed eight three-pointers.
The Clippers were hanging around at halftime, trailing by nine points, but Golden State dominated the third quarter, outscoring L.A. by 18 points, and cruised down the stretch.
Durant didn’t play in this one because of a calf injury and also sat on Monday against the Nuggets. The Warriors can afford to be cautious because they are very likely to claim the top seed in the West. Keep an eye on Durant’s status as his availability could mean a point or two on the spread.
Trade Watch
Clippers center DeAndre Jordan is reportedly on the trading block, although there is tepid interest currently, according to a report by ESPN. Jordan is a menace on defense and would certainly help a contender, and he could get more bites near the trading deadline.
Jordan should be on the Clippers for this game barring something unforeseen and has a crucial job. The Clippers’ perimeter players need to stay on the shooters, so Jordan’s job will be to patrol the paint.
He is averaging 11.6 points, 15.1 rebounds and 1.0 blocks on the season. Jordan has been around the NBA for a long time so the trade rumors aren’t likely to affect him too much. He should be ready to go in this one, knowing he is a critical piece to help slow down the Warriors’ unparalleled offense.
Golden State leads the NBA in scoring once again this season.
Free NBA ATS Picks
Whether Durant plays or not doesn’t really matter. If this game was in Los Angeles it may have been a little bit interesting, but the overwhelming talent coupled with the home field advantage will give the Warriors an easy win.
Keep an eye on the spread. It may be big, but Golden State still may be able to cover. The scoring total better be pretty high because these teams will engage in a shootout.
NBA Odds: Warriors 123, Clippers 110
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