Golden State Warriors vs. Los Angeles Clippers Prediction and Pick: Trouble in Paradise?
Golden State Warriors vs. Los Angeles Clippers Prediction and Pick: Trouble in Paradise?
- When: 10:00 pm ET
- Where to Watch: League Pass
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Golden State Warriors vs. Los Angeles Clippers Prediction
Are the Warriors in a free fall?
That seems like a bizarre question to ask about the team with the fourth-best record in the NBA, but it also isn't an unfair one. Since their 41-13 start, Golden State has won just two of their last 11 games. Going back even further than that, they're a game under .500 in their last 29 games, and that includes a nine-game winning streak.
But even that streak includes some false promise, as six of the nine games were at home and five wins came against teams that currently have bottom-10 records in the league. The advanced stats paint the same picture. Since January fifth - a span of over two months - Golden State has the 13th best net rating in the NBA. Not coincidentally, January fifth is also the last time Draymond Green played in a game, save for a token appearance in Klay Thompson's return game.
Speaking of Thompson, his return hasn't gone quite as smoothly as some expected. His numbers aren't terrible, but defensively, it's clear he's lost a step. Thompson was sat down for rest, along with Steph Curry and Andrew Wiggins, in the Warriors' Monday loss to the Nuggets in Denver - a game in which they were also missing Otto Porter, Gary Payton II, and Andre Iguodala. Curry, Klay, and Wiggins should be back tonight, along with Porter as a possibility.
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Considering those absences, Golden State's seven-point loss has to be considered a step in the right direction. Several of the Warriors' key young guys stepped up and played well, including Jordan Poole and Moses Moody, each of whom topped 30 points.
Now comes, the Clippers, still reeling from a blowout loss to the Knicks on Sunday night. LA has played well but they're also still touched by injuries, with Robert Covington now sidelined for this game. Covington has been a key piece for the Warriors since he was acquired, and in his place, less tested Brandon Boston Jr will likely be elevated into the rotation.
Recent numbers may not suggest as much, but this seems like the perfect turn-around game for a Warriors team that may have already hit rock bottom. There's also no place like home for Golden State, who is still a far better team in their own building than outside of it. Give the points at home and get back on the Warriors bandwagon before it's popular.
Golden State Warriors vs. Los Angeles Clippers Pick
- Warriors -6.5 (-110) (Bet $110 to Win $100)