The Los Angeles Clippers and the Golden State Warriors will cross paths this Thursday in the Bay Area. Will the star-less Clippers bring down Golden State? Or, will the Warriors return to their winning ways?
Catch this game live on Thursday, November 24, at 11 AM, Manila time.
Away: Los Angeles Clippers (11-7/5-3 Away)
Projected Starting Five:
- PG: Reggie Jackson
- SG: Terance Mann
- SF: Norman Powell
- PF: Marcus Morris Sr.
- C: Ivica Zubac
The Clippers will look to keep rolling even without their superstar duo of Paul George and Kawhi Leonard this Thursday. George and Leonard have already been both ruled out of the game against Golden State, which means the Clippers’ depth is going to be put to the test anew, as LA tries to extend its win streak to four games. The Clippers are coming off a 3-0 homestand, punctuated by a 121-114 victory over the Utah Jazz last Tuesday.
Los Angeles has been efficient offensively in that span, during which the Clippers posted 115.5 points per 100 possessions, which is eighth overall in the league in that window. While not having George and Leonard around will definitely change the way the Clippers approach things on offense, there is a great opportunity for the likes of Reggie Jackson, Terrance Mann, and Norman Powell to have a field day scoring. For one, the Warriors are one of the worst teams defensively, as they are allowing 118.0 points per outing.
The Clippers are 4-0 against the spread in their last four games as the road team.
Home: Golden State Warriors (8-10/7-1 Home)
Projected Starting Five:
- PG: Stephen Curry
- SG: Klay Thompson
- SF: Andrew Wiggins
- PF: Draymond Green
- C: Kevon Looney
The Warriors will play their first game after getting rocked hard by the New Orleans Pelicans in a 128-83 road loss last Tuesday. Golden State barely looked like a defending champion in that contest, as Brandon Ingram and company crushed the Dubs from beginning to end. That said, unlike this Thursday, the Warriors did not have Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Andrew Wiggins in the loss to the Pelicans as all four starters got their rest.
The last time they were all active though, the Warriors smashed the Houston Rockets on the road Monday, 127-120. That game is most remembered for Klay Thompson “opening the floodgates,” as he scored 41 points with 10 3-pointers in a breakout performance for this season. The Warriors are hoping that Thompson’s hands are still smoking. In any case, they can bet that Curry’s are still scorching. Curry, who scored 33 points against Houston, is averaging 32.3 points per outing on an unholy 52.9 FG%.
Golden State has nine losses but only one happened in the Bay Area, where they are 20-8 against the spread in their last 28 games there.
PREDICTIONS:
Spread: The Warriors (-8.5) cover the spread.
Over/Under: The total (222.5) hits the Over.
