The Washington Wizards will travel to Southern California to face off with the Los Angeles Clippers for a Saturday matinee. It’s time to continue our NBA odds series with a Wizards-Clippers prediction and pick.
The Wizards lost 141-128 to the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena in their recent contest. Kyle Kuzma led the Nuggets with 24 points while shooting 9 for 16 from the floor, including 4 for 8 from the triples. Meanwhile, Monte Morris added 20 points and seven assists. Will Barton came off the bench to score 22 points. Ultimately, the Wizards were without Kristaps Porzingis and Bradley Beal. Porzingis has a back injury, and Bradley has a hamstring injury.
The Clippers lost 111-95 to the Phoenix Suns at home in their last matchup on Thursday. Terance Mann led the Clips with 22 points while shooting 8 for 14 from the floor. Additionally, he pulled down 11 rebounds and distributed four assists. Marcus Morris Sr. added 14 points and had seven rebounds. Likewise, John Wall had 12 points but shot just 5 for 15 from the field. The Clippers were without Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Norman Powell, and Reggie Jackson. George was out with a knee injury, Leonard was resting, and Powell and Jackson also sat out with ailments.
The Wizards have struggled recently, losing eight in a row. Additionally, they are just 3-11 on the road this season. The Clippers are 5-5 over 10 games and 9-7 at home. Significantly, the two teams met just one week ago, with the Clippers defeating the Wizards 114-107 at Capital One Arena. George led the charge with 36 points, seven rebounds, and six assists. Also, Leonard added 13 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. Kuzma led the Wizards with 35 points and 12 rebounds. Moreover, Porzingis added 30 points and 15 rebounds. The bench mustered only seven points collectively. Stunningly, the Clippers have won 14 home games in a row against the Wizards.
Here are the Wizards-Clippers NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NBA Odds: Wizards-Clippers Odds
Washington Wizards: +6.5 (-110)
Los Angeles Clippers: -6.5 (-110)
Over: 221.5 (-110)
Under: 221.5 (-110)
Why The WizardsCould Cover The Spread
The Wizards are a top-heavy team. Ultimately, they have three amazing players who can shoot and score at any moment. But the rest of their team struggles to do anything. Consequently, no one above the top three averages more than 12 points per game.
Beal averages 22.9 points per game while shooting 52.2 percent from the floor. Additionally, he distributes 5.4 assists per game. Porzingis averages 22.6 points per game while shooting 48.1 percent from the field. Likewise, he averages 8.9 rebounds per game. Kuzma averages 21.4 points per game while shooting 46.2 percent from the floor. Also, he pulls 7.5 rebounds per game.
The Wizards are 19th in points, 13th in field goal percentage, and 18th in 3-point shooting percentage. Meanwhile, Washington ranks 23rd from the free-throw line. But the Wizards are good on the boards, ranking 12th in rebounds. Likewise, they do not turn the ball over much, ranking sixth in turnovers. Washington also excels on the defensive end, ranking third in blocked shots.
The Wizards will cover the spread if they can utilize their strengths. Substantially, they need Beal and Porzingis back to have a legitimate chance to cover the spread, and maybe steal this one from the Clippers. Washington will stay in this game if they can dominate the boards, handle the ball carefully, and block shots.
Why The Clippers Could Cover The Spread
The Clippers have struggled to stay healthy. Therefore, it has hindered their performances, and they have not been able to stay within the top ranks of the NBA.
George averages 23.5 points per game while shooting 44.8 percent from the floor. Moreover, he pulls down 6.3 rebounds per game. Powell averages 14.8 points per game while shooting 45.9 percent from the field. Consequently, Leonard has not performed to his standards since returning. He averages 13.7 points per game while shooting 44.1 percent from the floor. Also, he pulls 5.8 rebounds per game. Morris averages 13.6 points per game while shooting 44.6 percent from the field. Meanwhile, Jackson averages 12.6 points per game.
The Clippers rank 27th in points, 22nd in field goal percentage, and 12th in shooting from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, the Clippers rank only 25th from the free-throw line. The Clips also rank ninth on the boards. Conversely, they are 23rd in turnovers and 18th in blocked shots.
The Clippers will cover the spread if George plays and Leonard can contribute with a more effective performance. Likewise, the rest of the team must follow suit and perform to their abilities.
Final Wizards-Clippers Prediction & Pick
The Clippers are the better team and can dominate on any given night. Hence, they can take care of the Wizards if George and Leonard both play. Expect the winning streak against the Wizards to continue and for Los Angeles to cover the odds.
Final Wizards-Clippers Prediction & Pick: Los Angeles Clippers: -6.5 (-110)
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