In a first round which was expected to be rather drab in the NBA, the Los Angeles Clippers (58-29 SU, 39-47-1 ATS) and the San Antonio Spurs (58-29 SU, 44-41-2 ATS) have really put on a show. San Antonio has a chance to close out the 3-seed in the West on Thursday night at home.
DO OR DIE FOR OPPONENTS USUALLY DEATH AGAINST SPURS
Though technically, it isn't a "live betting stance" to address, getting some context here about San Antonio and its playoff history is key for any form of betting in this game.
The Spurs have been absolutely unstoppable at home when they have had a chance to close out a series. They beat the Heat, Blazers and Mavericks last season by 17, 22 and 23 points respectively in potential close-out games at the AT&T Center, and they are 9-4 SU and 8-5 ATS over the course of the last three seasons when they have had a chance to finish off a foe in all locations.
This isn't a situation which Gregg Popovich has taken lightly. He knows what happens when you let teams hang around, and in a series where Games 2 and 5 probably should have been lost, just having the opportunity to vanish the Clips once and for all is one which San Antonio probably isn't going to let slip through the cracks.
That's just something to keep in the back of your mind, especially if, as a live bettor, you end up in a situation where the Spurs are underdogs early on thanks to a slow start.
COMEDY OF MENTAL ERRORS
The Clippers really just need to get out of their own way at times. Game 2 was lost when Blake Griffin couldn't hold onto the basketball while making an inexplicable drive to the basket that just didn't have to be made. Game 5 was lost when DeAndre Jordan committed an unnecessary offensive goaltending infraction.
Furthermore, Jordan has been awful at the foul line. It's not surprising to see him be woeful, but there's a difference between being bad and shooting 36.7 percent. Jordan has already stepped to the charity stripe 49 times in five games, and he'll continue to do so with Popovich pulling the strings.
Believe it or not, it's not like the Clippers are committing 20 turnovers in a game. They only have one game with 15 turnovers, in fact. It's that you just know that the big turnover is coming when this team needs a score the most, and it is probably coming from one of the bigs.
The Spurs don't shoot themselves. The Clippers have. That's why this series is still going and is currently edged out by San Antonio, and it's something that you absolutely have to keep in mind if this is a close game down the stretch.
TURNING BACK THE HANDS OF FATHER TIME
Griffin is a beast. He's a stat sheet stuffer, and he can really be very good at every facet of the game. He hasn't stood a chance against Tim Duncan, though.
Duncan has positioned himself just outside of the paint and has absolutely abused Griffin in this series, and the end result is that he has three games with at least 20 points and 10 boards. When he has done that, the Spurs have averaged 109 points per game and are 2-1 SU and ATS. When he hasn't, San Antonio has averaged just 96 points per game and is 1-1 SU and ATS.
Say all that you want about this being Kawhi Leonard's team at this point. Heck, you might even be right. But still, for the purposes of this series and live betting, if Duncan is on his game, it feels like he can go out and generate a bucket whenever he needs to get the job done, which is crucial when you're talking about stopping or continuing runs.
BookMaker will have the spread for this Thursday soiree the night before the game. Now you can wager in-game while the action unfolds with BookMaker's live betting option.
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook! The showdown between the Los Angeles Clippers and San Antonio Spurs will start at 9:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, April 30, 2015, at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, TX. The contest will be broadcast on TNT.
