The Clippers want to be considered among the NBA’s elite, but outcomes like Sunday’s loss to the Cavs make it difficult to include them in the conversation. They have another chance to change the narrative while ending San Antonio’s 41-game regular season win streak.
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SCHEDULING
Playing the best team in the Eastern Conference on Sunday, the Clippers had a chance to make a statement and gain some ground on Oklahoma City. They failed miserably, getting pounded by the Cavaliers. Now the Clips head out on a five-game road trip bookended with games against the top teams in the Western Conference. Nobody said life in the NBA is easy. LA is 1-6 SU and 3-4 ATS this season against Cleveland, San Antonio and Golden State and with every loss it becomes increasingly difficult to consider them among the NBA’s best. The five games will be played in nine days with stops in Houston, Memphis and New Orleans preceding a game with Golden State on Mar. 23.
Beginning with Saturday’s win over Oklahoma City, the Spurs embark on a four game stretch that features three of the top five seeds in the Western Conference – all clubs San Antonio could face in the postseason. The Spurs improved to 32-0 at ATT Center this season with a 93-85 defeat of the Thunder, and have the Clippers, Portland and Golden State to close out their five-game homestand.
INJURIES
Luc Mbah a Moute returned to the Clippers lineup Sunday wearing goggles to protect his lacerated eyelid. Paul Pierce sat out his second straight game with an injured toe and is questionable to play on Tuesday.
While the Spurs have no major injury concerns right now, veterans Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili recently returned to the lineup after missing time. Parker sat a game with a toe injury, but drained 20 last Thursday once back in the rotation. Ginobili missed several weeks with a groin problem. It’s not a likely scenario for either to rest, but you never know what coach Gregg Popovich is going to do.
KEY MATCHUP
The addition of LaMarcus Aldridge was supposed to change the balance of power in the West. It definitely mad the Spurs a better team, as they are on pace for 70 wins and still within striking distance of the Warriors for the best record in the NBA. The Spurs have used Aldridge differently than his stay in Portland. He gets shots in his preferred spot – where he’s as deadly as ever – but he’s also asked to use the right side of the court more. With Tim Duncan sitting out more games, L.A. has been asked to play closer to the rim when he moves to the center position. He’s scoring at a very high level near the basket and the result has been one of the most efficient scoring seasons of his career. Aldridge is averaging 17.7 points for the season, but he’s scored at least 23 in each of his past seven games and is averaging 25.3 points in that span while making 57.5 percent of his field goals.
ANALYSIS AND ODDS PREDICTION
The Clippers know a little about winning in San Antonio, knocking off the Spurs in Games 4 and 6 at the ATT Center in a memorable first-round matchup before taking the series at home in a seventh game last NBA season. But that was then and this is now. The Clips are still without Blake Griffin, and looked like they really missed him during Sunday’s loss to the Cavs. The Spurs have LaMarcus Aldridge, who’s been on a tear lately and has started to thrive with his new team. The Clippers put a whoopin on San Antonio when they returned from the All-Star break, posting a 105-86 win at Staples Center on Feb. 18, and while Popovich says it’s about his team finding the right combination of players and getting in form for the postseason, you know they haven’t forgotten that one.
San Antonio 114, Los Angeles 107
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