Building off a championship season, the Warriors are rolling again, having yet to drop a game SU and going 7-4 ATS in the early going. Golden State will hit the road to take on the Clippers in the Staples Center after handing the Clippers their first loss of the season earlier this month.
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ODDS ANALYSIS
After winning four in a row to begin the season, the Clippers have gone into a bit of a tailspin, dropping four of their last six. It all started with a 112-108 loss to the Warriors.
Los Angeles did win its last game and has plenty of time to rest up before taking on the Warriors. Still, they’re just 1-4 ATS in their last five games and 4-6 ATS this year.
On the other side, the Warriors have just one day off between hosting the Raptors and facing the Clippers. They also got the loss ATS in their last game, failing to cover a 16-point spread against the lowly Nets.
WHEN THE GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS ARE ON OFFENSE
Point guard Stephen Curry is a beast. He hung 31-points on the Clippers earlier this month and has scored at least 22-points in every game this year.
The star guard really broke out making a name for himself last year, but it was the 2012-2013 season that really saw his game take a major step forward. Since that season, he’s averaged at least 22.9 PPG, but has never gotten close to the 33.4 PPG he’s averaging so far through 11 games this year.
In addition to the points, while he’s only got one double-double, he also leads the team in steals with 2.5 per game, is second in assists with 5.6 per game and also averages 5.1 RPG.
Of course, there’s much more to this team than Curry. Klay Thompson, in particular, is a great second player. The fellow guard is second on the team in scoring with 15.2 PPG.
Last season in the NBA Finals, the Cavaliers eventually lost to the Warriors, but they were able to slow down the Warriors at times by almost exclusively defensing Curry and Thompson. Keep an eye on the Clippers’ defensive game plan early. They need to do their best to minimize the damage those two can create. If they’re successful, turn your attention to the support players.
If Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala are taking open shots and sinking them, that could get the momentum rolling and when the Warriors get rolling, it’s hard to stop them.
That said, if the Warriors continue to try and force the ball to Curry and Thompson or Green and company struggle, the Clippers could be the first to hang a loss on the defending champs.
WHEN THE LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS ARE ON OFFENSE
It’s usually hard for any team to keep up with the Warriors high powered, fast-paced and often chaotic offense, but Los Angeles is one team with a good chance.
The Clippers will be well rested which would play big, particularly late in the game. Another important factor to the rest is the health of point guard Chris Paul. He’s expected to play after dealing with a groin injury over the last few games—a significant reason the team has spiraled into a slump.
Paul is an important piece to help the Clippers counter Curry. Keep an eye on that matchup. If guards Paul, J.J. Redick and Jamal Crawford can do their part against Curry and Thompson, that’ll open things up for forward Blake Griffin.
Much as Curry is the star in the Bay Area, Griffin is the star in Tinseltown. He’s been beatable, however. He was held to just 11-points in the team’s 118-104 loss against the Suns a couple games ago, but otherwise is averaging 26.6 PPG and has produced five double-doubles in 10 games.
The Warriors rely on their guards to keep their fast paced offense rolling, keep an eye on how their big men are able to handle Griffin as the game progresses.
BETTING TRENDS AND MATCHUPS
Los Angeles may have lost to the Warriors the last time out, but they did cover the 7.5-point spread.
Curry still scored 31 and each starter registered double-digit points, but the Clippers were able to quiet the bench some and use its own high powered offense to stay in the basketball game.
The Clippers will hope their home court gives them that little extra edge in this one. The duo of Paul and Griffin combined for 47-points so any extra production will likely need to come from the support players.
That’s certainly possible. A return home against Detroit helped get the Clippers back on track in the win column both SU and ATS on Saturday.
Load your betting bankroll from your smartphone with BookMaker’s new cashier feature! Depositing and withdrawing funds from your account has never been easier. BookMaker's live betting platform means you always have access to odds and lines to every sporting event. Click here and start wagering today! The contest pitting the Golden State Warriors versus the Los Angeles Clippers will commence Thursday, November 19, 2015, at 10:30 p.m. ET at Staples Center. The contest will be broadcast nationally on TNT.
