The Brooklyn Nets (23-10, 14-18-1 ATS) host the Los Angeles Clippers (18-17, 16-19) at Barclays Center on Saturday in their second meeting of the season. The Nets are 7-3 in their last 10 games while the Clippers are 2-6 in their last eight.
- Date/Time: January 1, 7:30 p.m. ET
- Arena: Barclays Center
- TV Coverage: YES, Bally Sports SoCal
- Sportsbook Odds: Nets -11 | O/U 213.5 points (Line History)
- Clippers vs Nets (Matchup Report)
Sportsbook Odds Analysis
The Nets opened as 11-point favorites at home with the total set at 213.5 points. The OVER is 8-2 in the last 10 meetings between the two teams. Brooklyn is 1-8 ATS in its last nine home games while Los Angeles is 0-5 ATS in the last five meetings.
Los Angeles News & Notes
The Clippers fell 116-108 to the Toronto Raptors in their last outing on Friday as Fred VanVleet went off for 31 points. Marcus Morris Sr. led Los Angeles with 20 points while Terrence Mann scored 18 points and added 11 boards in the loss.
The Clippers have been without leading scorer Paul George for four games now and have gone 1-3 over that span. Morris Sr. has stepped up with five straight 20-plus point performances, but Los Angeles isn’t the same team without George and Kawhi Leonard.
George (elbow) remains out indefinitely while Nicolas Batum (ankle) is questionable. Ivica Zubac, Brandon Boston Jr., Moses Wright, and Jay Scrubb (health and safety protocols) are all questionable for Saturday’s matchup.
Brooklyn News & Notes
The Nets lost in surprising fashion on Thursday, falling 110-102 to the Philadelphia 76ers despite Kevin Durant returning to the lineup. Durant and James Harden scored 33 points each, with Harden picking up a triple-double, but the duo got little support with the next highest scorer, LaMarcus Aldridge, dropping only 12 points. Meanwhile Joel Embiid led all scorers with 34 points for Philadelphia in the win.
Despite the loss, the Nets are 7-3 in their last 10 games and sit tied for first in the Eastern Conference with the Chicago Bulls. With Durant and Harden finally healthy and in the lineup at the same time, Brooklyn should get back to winning ways.
Dayron Sharpe and Kessler Edwards (conditioning) are questionable.
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How LA Will Cover
The Clippers are certainly up against it in this matchup, but they have managed some surprising results in recent games, including a 91-82 win over Boston on Wednesday and a close 103-100 loss to Denver on Sunday. The one strength that Los Angeles does have is its fifth-ranked defense, allowing just 104.6 points against per game. They’ll have to have a strong defensive effort in order to keep this one close.
How Brooklyn Will Cover
The Nets lost in disappointing fashion last time out and will come out hungry on Saturday looking for a bounce-back win. With Durant and Harden in mid-season form, Brooklyn shouldn’t have much trouble dismantling Los Angeles’ defense – especially if Aldridge and Patty Mills can combine for more than 17 points this time around.
Computer Pick: Nets -12.5
- Best Spread-110-110LAC+14-14BKN
- Best Moneyline+750-724LACBKN
- Best Total- --110Over221Under
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Buy Sports Picks Now- Brooklyn is 17-3 in the last 20 meetings at home.
- The OVER is 6-1 in the last seven meetings.
- The UNDER is 5-2 in Los Angeles’ last 7 games.
