Lakers vs. Clippers Point Spread: NBA Odds, Prediction
The Los Angeles Lakers make the shortest road trip possible in the NBA – zero miles – when they “visit” the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday. Will LeBron James play?
NBA Point Spread and Betting Analysis
The Lakers and Clippers are the only franchises that share a building in the NBA, although Clippers ownership has plans to build its own arena in a few years.
Basketball in Los Angeles might be really interesting next year as Anthony Davis could join LeBron James with the Lakers if you believe the rumors – check out the Sports Interaction prop on Davis – and the Clippers might land both Kawhi Leonard and Kevin Durant in free agency, although Raptors fans obviously hope Leonard re-signs in Toronto in free agency this summer. Only winning an NBA title might convince Leonard to do so.
The Clippers have stunningly won 22 of the past 25 meetings with the Lakers. That statistic would have been unthinkable when this decade started. The only meeting this season was a Lakers home game on Dec. 28, which the Clippers won 118-107 behind 36 points from former Laker Lou Williams. The Clips scored 22 straight at one point in the second half. Kyle Kuzma led the Lakers with 24 points.
LeBron missed that game with a groin injury suffered on Christmas but might – might – be able to return Thursday. He has been participating in full-court contact drills.
The Lakers are 1-4 against the spread in the past five meetings.
Los Angeles Lakers
LeBron, Lonzo Ball (out a month) and Kuzma (hip strain) all sat again Tuesday night and the short-handed Lakers were simply no match at home against the Philadelphia 76ers in a 16-point loss. The lone bright spot was Brandon Ingram and his career-high 36 points. Ingram, Ball and Kuzma have all been mentioned as potential trade pieces to land Davis. As for James, he has progressed to the point that he will be a game-day decision vs. the Clippers. Probably won’t come until after the team’s shootaround Thursday morning Pacific time. Kuzma’s status is also up in the air. He’s the team’s second-leading scorer. Needless to say, this spread will be a bit in flux.
LA Clippers
The Clippers will be well-rested in having been off since a 123-118 home loss Monday to the Atlanta Hawks, one of the league’s worst teams. It was the second of a back-to-back for Los Angeles. Williams, the team’s third-leading scorer and the reigning NBA Sixth Man of the Year, missed his first 11 shots but did finish with 21 points. Tobias Harris led with 30 and added eight rebounds and seven assists. Starting forward Danilo Gallinari (19.0 ppg) missed a sixth straight game with a back injury and isn’t likely Thursday. The Clippers have been going small by inserting guard Patrick Beverley into the starting five with Gallinari out.
