- Analysis
- Aside from the surging Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets, the playoff race in the Western Conference is beginning to heat up, and no game will be hotter than when the Los Angeles Lakers visit the L.A. Clippers at the Intuit Dome.
At 23-17, the Clippers hold a half-game lead over the Lakers at the top of the Pacific Division standings, in addition to the conference race where they currently sit alone in fifth place, 1.5 games back of fourth-place Denver.
The Clippers got an extra day’s rest heading into this one, after winning and covering the spread in their previous three. More importantly, where this game is concerned, the Clippers won five straight at home (5-0 ATS), thanks in part to their third-ranked defense that is allowing only 106.6 points per game on the year, and an even better 103.2 ppg at home (2nd).
The Lakers (22-17) lost all three of their matchups against the Texas-trio of Houston (119-115) and Dallas (118-97) on the road, and surprisingly, San Antonio at home (126-102), before posting consecutive home wins over lesser opponents Miami and Brooklyn.
They did manage to win and cover in three of their last four meetings with the Clippers, but lost six in a row to them (0-6 ATS) prior to that. Regardless of past history, however, the Lakers enter the day at a huge disadvantage with Anthony Davis listed as day-to-day after sitting out Friday’s one-point win over the Nets with a left foot injury. It was just his third missed game this season, but his potential absence here will free things up in the paint for the Clippers’ seven-foot center Ivica Zubac, who has averaged 14.0 points and 12.2 rebounds over his last 10 games.
With the Southern California region still reeling from the fires that displaced thousands, this matchup is also about city pride and bragging rights, and this time around, it will be the Clippers celebrating with a win and cover as a home favorite.
