The Los Angeles Clippers will be looking to double down on their mastery of the Boston Celtics this Friday, having defeated Jayson Tatum and company at home on Dec. 13, 113-93.  Will the Clippers beat Boston again? Or will the streaking Celtics get payback with a victory in Beantown?

Catch this game live on Friday, December 30, at 8:30 AM, Manila time

Away: Los Angeles Clippers (21-15/10-8 Away)

Projected Starting Five:

  • PG: Reggie Jackson
  • SG: Paul George
  • SF: Kawhi Leonard
  • PF: Marcus Morris Sr.
  • C: Ivica Zubac

The Clippers are 100% healthy for this rematch against Boston. With John Wall not on the injury report after sitting out last Wednesday’s 124-113 road win over the Toronto Raptors, the Clippers have all their stars ready to go. Los Angeles’ offense has been humming this December. While the Clippers are just 29th in the NBA this season overall with just 109.2 points per game, they have managed to put up 112.7 in their last 13 games and 121.6 in their five most recent outings, while also shooting 49.3 percent from the field. 

But Boston might be warier of Los Angeles’ defense that limited the Celtics to only 43.4 FG% and 23.1 3FG% shooting in the first meeting. Boston also repeatedly fumbled the ball in that game, turning the ball over 15 times, and got massively outrebounded, 46-36 (11-5 disparity on the offensive glass in favor of the Clippers). 

The Clippers are 8-2 against the spread in their last 10 games overall.

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Home: Boston Celtics (25-10/14-5 Home)

Projected Starting Five:

  • PG: Marcus Smart
  • SG: Derrick White
  • SF: Jaylen Brown
  • PF: Jaylen Brown
  • C: Al Horford

After consecutively dropping three games, the Celtics are in the zone again. Boston is 3-0 straight up in its last three outings. Its most recent victims were the Houston Rockets in a 126-102 victory. Sure, the Clippers are scoring a ton of late, but the Celtics have been doing that all season long. 

In fact, Boston is No. 1 in the league with 118.9 points per game while posting a top-3 effective field goal rate of 57.0%. Even when adjusted to per 100 possessions, Boston still checks out first overall in the NBA with a 117.4 offensive rating. But the Celtics also do work on the other side of the ball, limiting opponents to just 112.1 points per game. Robert Williams is also now back in the Celtics’ lineup, and he’ll be a terrific weapon for Boston to prevent getting outworked on the glass again by the Clippers.

The Celtics are 8-3 against the spread in their last 11 games after a win.

PREDICTIONS:

Spread: The Celtics (-6) cover the spread.

Over/Under: The total (227.0) hits the Under.