Los Angeles Clippers vs Golden State Warriors Picks and Prediction: Kawhi on a B2B Clouds a Clippers Team That's Been Covering Everything in Sight
The Los Angeles Clippers (28-31), sitting eighth in the Western Conference and two and a half games behind seventh-place Golden State, travel to Chase Center to take on the Warriors (31-29) on Monday, March 2, tipping off at 10:00 PM ET. With John Collins confirmed out after exiting Sunday's blowout win over New Orleans with an arm injury, Darius Garland expected to make his Clippers debut coming off a month-and-a-half layoff with a toe injury, and Kawhi Leonard operating on the second night of a back-to-back after logging 29 minutes the previous evening, this is a loaded situation. Golden State, meanwhile, is still without Stephen Curry (knee, at least five more games), Kristaps Porzingis, and Will Richard, leaning on Brandin Podziemski, Moses Moody, and a surprisingly productive Gui Santos to hold down Fiserv in a game with direct play-in positioning on the line.
OC Staff - March 2, 2026, 6:00 AM EST
3 Minute ReadLos Angeles Clippers vs Golden State Warriors Picks and Prediction: Kawhi on a B2B Clouds a Clippers Team That's Been Covering Everything in Sight
Clippers vs Warriors Recent Performance
Los Angeles has been one of the more interesting ATS plays in the league over the past month, going 7-3 against the spread in their last ten games and outright blowing New Orleans out 137-117 on Sunday without ever trailing. The problem is the second-night piece. The Clippers are 2-8 straight up when playing on no rest this season, and while they've covered five of those back-to-back games, walking into Chase Center on no rest with a diminished frontcourt is a different ask than most of those situations. The offense has also been slow-going recently, ranking 23rd in the league in the month of February. Kawhi carrying 27.9 points per game while getting intentionally managed under 30 minutes heading into a back-to-back is the thread the whole offense hangs on.
Golden State has been playing below its standing lately. The Warriors went 2-6 against the spread over their last eight games, including a 28-point home loss to the Lakers on Saturday. Without Curry, they're 8-13 on the season and have dropped six of their last eight games at Chase Center. The offense ranks 21st in February, the defense 20th. Podziemski and Moody have been solid, and Santos has been a genuine revelation over the last month, averaging 14.9 points on 58 percent shooting over his last 13 games. None of that adds up to a fully functional Warriors offense. It does add up to a team that can hang in a tight one at home against a fatigued opponent.
Clippers vs Warriors Head to Head
The season series is split 1-1. Golden State took the first meeting before the Clippers returned the favor 103-102 in January. The Clippers have covered seven of the last eight all-time meetings against the Warriors, which is an eye-catching ATS trend. Five of the last six head-to-head matchups have finished under the posted total, and Monday's total (216.5 at most books) has already moved significantly from the opening number of 219.5.
The bigger number here is what happens on the spread. Clippers 7-3 ATS in the last ten games, Warriors 3-7 ATS in the same window. On paper, Los Angeles is the team in form. In practice, laying a road number on the second night of a back-to-back against a home team fighting for play-in position, when your frontcourt is essentially Kawhi and whoever else shows up, is a trickier sell.
Los Angeles Clippers vs Golden State Warriors Date, Time, and Where to Watch
- Date: Sunday, March 2, 2026
- Time: 10:00 PM ET
- How to Watch: Peacock, NBC Sports Bay Area, FanDuel Sports Network Southern California, NBA League Pass
Looking for advanced AI predictions and props to enhance your basketball betting? Try out oddschecker+ now on this limited time 7-day free trial!
Clippers vs Warriors Odds
Click here for complete Clippers vs Warriors Odds
Clippers vs Warriors Team News
Collins is out tonight with what the team is calling neck soreness, the same issue that cost him two games after a fall against the Lakers on February 20. The arm injury he picked up against New Orleans looks like it pushed that status to a hard out. Kris Dunn is day-to-day with a head injury from the same game. Kawhi Leonard is not on the injury report despite the ankle soreness that kept him out against Minnesota last week, which is a legitimate positive, though the load management reality is that he's likely looking at another sub-30-minute night. Garland's status remains the biggest variable. The Cavs trade acquisition hasn't played since January 14 because of a sprained right big toe, and whether he can contribute meaningful minutes on his debut or simply gets eased in for spot time changes the Clippers' offensive ceiling for the night.
Golden State's list is shorter but more painful. Curry is out at least five more games, Porzingis is out, Richard is out, and Gary Payton II is questionable with an ankle issue. The Warriors' rotation beyond that group relies on Podziemski running the offense, Moody providing perimeter scoring, and Santos continuing a stretch that earned him a three-year, $15 million extension. Santos has gone over 12.5 points in eight of his last nine games and ten of his last twelve, giving Golden State a functional third option in a rotation that needs every contribution it can get.
Prediction: Warriors 109, Clippers 106
This game stays close the whole way. Kawhi gets his 25 or so on efficient volume, Garland gets his legs under him across 15-18 minutes of action, and the Clippers' defense holds Golden State to a manageable pace for three quarters. The B2B is what breaks them in the end. Podziemski keeps Golden State in position all night, Santos keeps finding shots in the mid-range and off cuts, and the Clippers' legs simply aren't there in the fourth to close a road game. Ty Lue manages Kawhi's minutes carefully enough that Leonard finishes with energy but Golden State gets the last push at home. Final margin: three points.
Best Bet: Warriors +1.5 (-116) Click here to get the best odds at FanDuel Sportsbook
Covering 1.5 points just requires Golden State to keep it within a possession. The Clippers are 2-8 straight up on no rest this season, and while they've been covering lately, the combination of Collins out, Garland rusty in a debut, and Leonard on managed minutes makes their offensive ceiling genuinely murky. Projecting 109-106 puts the final margin at three, which clears the 1.5 comfortably, and that projection assumes Kawhi plays his full load and Garland contributes right out of the gate. Neither is a safe assumption. The Warriors at +1.5 on home court, with play-in seeding on the line against a fatigued opponent, gives you real value at a number this tight. Get on Golden State before any last-minute news on Garland or Dunn moves it.
NBA ODDS
Affiliate Disclosure.
We are not a gambling or betting operator, but we receive a commission from these companies when we advertise their brands and refer customers to them (affiliate marketing). We provide information, odds information and links to websites of these companies. Some of the information made available on our site may be positioned as a result of a commission paid to us by a third party. We do not take or place bets/transactions and any information on Our Products is provided for entertainment purposes only.
