Even the most skeptical bettor has to consider the Los Angeles Clippers for Game 3 vs the Golden State Warriors. The Clippers overcame the largest deficit in NBA playoff history with their historic comeback in Game 2 and now can take the edge in the first-round series with a victory tonight. The Warriors were one of the best teams on the road this season at 27-14 SU in 41 games but split two games at Staples Center vs the Clip Show.
The Warriors opened as 8.5-point favorites with a total of 236.5.
Warriors vs Clippers Game Center
STANDOUT STATS
- The Warriors looked like the Warriors in Games 1 and 2 from an offensive standpoint as they shot over 50 percent from the floor but their defense fell off a cliff in Game 2, specifically in the second half. The Warriors allowed the Clippers to climb back from a 31-point deficit while giving up 85 points in the second half for the biggest comeback in NBA playoff history.
- One of the big reasons for the Clippers’ offensive explosion in Game 2 was the balanced attack from their entire roster. In Game 1, their starters only scored 37 points but in Game 2, they got 52 points from the starting unit, with 27 from Danilo Gallinari. As usual, Montrezl Harrell and Lou Williams paced the bench scoring, combining for 61 points and an excellent 22-for-31 shooting from the field.
- The Warriors offense was a wrecking crew over the final 10 games of the regular season, averaging 121 points while shooting 52.4 percent from the field. They also were stellar defensively in that same stretch by limiting opponents to 108.3 points per game (ranked eighth) and were first in the league in opponent shooting percentage (42.2 percent).
- With the Warriors at -8.5, this is the largest spread the Clippers have faced all season as a home underdog. In 11 games in that spot this year, the Clippers were 3-8 SU and ATS. However, it’s worth noting that those three wins were against the Bucks, Celtics and Warriors. The Clippers split their two games at home vs the Warriors and lost 112-94 in January.
- After the all-star break, the Clippers were one of the best offenses in the league, ranking fifth in points per game (117.4), and scored four more points per home game compared to away. They played 13 games at Staples Center after the midseason intermission and their shooting was so efficient as they averaged 48.2 percent from the field (ranked sixth) and 40.2 percent from behind the arc (ranked second).
- OVER bettors were handsomely rewarded from Game 2 and didn’t need to sweat out a totals bet as it was all but decided by the end of the third quarter. Historically, when these two teams meet, a ton of points are put on the board. Since the start of last season, the OVER has hit in seven of the last 10 games in this matchup with an average combined score of 239.7. The Clippers were also one of the best OVER teams at home this season with it hitting in 27 of 41 games. Those games had an average combined score of 231.9.
My Best Bet for Warriors vs Clippers
Warriors -8.5
Call me crazy but I think the Warriors roll in this one. They pretty much had Game 2 wrapped up but they seemed to forget that an NBA game is four quarters and allowed the Clippers to slowly creep back in and before they knew it, the 31-point lead was single digits. I think Steve Kerr will have his players’ attention for this one and the Warriors have shown that they can go into Staples Center and ruin this team if they’re truly motivated.
I expect the Clippers to come out hard at first and would recommend a Clippers’ first-quarter spread bet but I like Golden State to put the clamps down defensively and for Kevin Durant to have a 30-point game. I think LA may have awakened a sleeping giant and this could be a bloodbath.
