Clippers Ready to Roll Past Warriors Again

The new-look Golden State Warriors (4-4 SU, 3-5 ATS) got a taste Wednesday of what it will take to return to contention in the competitive Western Conference – and they’ll look for a better result in the rematch as they host the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday. The Clippers (6-3 SU, 6-3 ATS) continued their dominance over the Warriors with a 108-101 victory in the previous meeting.

Sportsbook Odds Analysis

The Clippers kicked things off as 4-point favorites, but the line has since shifted to either -4.5 or -5 depending on where you wager. The total has thus far held steady at 232.

Los Angeles News & Notes

An eight-point win over a division rival wasn’t the real newsmaker Wednesday – rather, it was the fact that forward Kawhi Leonard played both ends of a back-to-back for the first time in more than three years. And here’s some dispiriting news for future Clippers opponents: Leonard, who had 21 points in Wednesday’s win, says he plans on playing more back-to-backs this season.

Expect both Leonard and Paul George to suit up in Friday’s rematch as the Clippers look to improve to 5-0 against divisional opponents on the season. They’ll also aim to extend their winning streak against Golden State to five games, with the Clippers having held the Warriors below 110 points in three of the previous four wins during their hot stretch.

Golden State News & Notes

The Warriors could be in rough shape for Friday’s return engagement. Point guard Stephen Curry has been downgraded from probable to questionable after playing through an ankle injury Wednesday night; he was held to just 13 points on 5-of-17 shooting against the Clippers after erupting for 92 total points in back-to-back wins against Portland and Sacramento.

Even if Curry suits up, he’ll likely be limited – which puts more pressure on the rest of a Warriors offense that shoots a collective 43.8 percent from the field. Look for offseason acquisition Andrew Wiggins to pick up much of the offensive slack if Curry is out or limited; Wiggins is second on the team in scoring at 17.8 points per game but will be the focal point of a stout Clippers defense.

Betting Pick: Clippers -5 (-110)

Whether Curry plays or not, the Clippers are one of the top defensive teams in the NBA and should have little trouble keeping the one-dimensional Warriors at bay.