Playing for the fourth time in five nights and still a game away from getting their All-Star power forward back in the lineup, the Clippers visit the scorching hot Thunder on Thursday. Russell Westbrook triple-doubled and OKC put the hammer down when the teams met three weeks ago.
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SCHEDULING
The Clippers experienced a bit of a lull dropping six of eight games that started with a 120-108 loss in Oklahoma City on Mar. 9. But a buzzer-beating J.J. Redick jumpshot lifted them to a win over Portland, starting a run of three straight victories that included Monday’s thumping of the Celtics. Coming off a sweep of their back-to-back home set, the Clips get another, finishing off their stretch of four games in five nights with Wednesday’s contest in OKC. The Clippers have been strong lately with a 9-1 SU and 6-4 ATS record in the second of their last 10 back-to-back situations.
OKC will be playing its third game in four nights when they host the Clippers on Thursday. At least the Thunder had a day off following their back-to-back that saw them in Toronto on Monday and Detroit on Tuesday. It’s a quick and short return home for the Thunder, who head back on the road for four games and have just one regular season game remaining at Chesapeake Energy Arena following this one. It doesn’t matter where the Thunder play as they’ve won four at home and four on the road during an eight-game winning streak that came on the heels of a 4-8 slide out of the All-Star break.
INJURIES
Clippers forward Paul Pierce was removed from Monday night’s game with two minutes left in the first half after scoring on a driving layup. He sprained his right ankle and bruised his right knee on the play and did not return.
Oklahoma City has everyone in game-shape after getting reserve forward Kyle Singler back in the rotation over the weekend. Coach Billy Donovan has said he would like to get some rest for his regulars down the stretch but hasn’t outlined a plan.
KEY MATCHUP
Russell Westbrook might be putting up numbers like Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson, but he isn’t getting caught up in his marvelous play. Westbrook had 26 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds in his 16th triple-double of the season in OKC’s win over Toronto on Monday night. It was Westbrook’s seventh triple-double in March, the most in a month since Jordan had seven in April 1989. He also has the most in a season since Johnson had 17 in 1988-89. It’s an amazing thing for a triple-double to seem routine, but that’s what Westbrook has done. And on top of the numbers, the team wins, moving to a perfect 16-0 this season when Westbrook triple-doubles. Westbrook had 25 points, 19 assists and 11 boards the last time he faced the Clips, which was, obviously, a win on Mar. 9.
ANALYSIS AND ODDS PREDICTION
Oklahoma City played what Kevin Durant said may have been the team’s best game in Monday’s 119-100 win over Toronto for their eighth straight victory. During the streak the team is averaging 117.3 points and won by an average margin of 17.1 points in dominating fashion. It’s unlikely we’ll see a change in the playoff positioning with OKC dialed into the No. 3 spot and the Clips at No. 4, so what we see from both sides on Thursday is unknown, though I doubt either one is going to give in. The Clips have to be excited about getting Blake Griffin back in the lineup and that’ll likely happen Saturday. But the anticipation may be a bit overwhelming, as will Westbrook, Durant and the home standing Thunder.
Oklahoma City 115, Los Angeles 109
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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 Los Angeles Clippers and Oklahoma City Thunder game is scheduled for Thursday, March 31, 2016, at 9:30 p.m. ET at Chesapeake Energy Arena. The contest will be broadcast nationally on TNT.
