The Brooklyn Nets have already gotten what they wanted in Orlando: a playoff spot. But why stop there? The Nets can add to their momentum if they can beat the LA Clippers this Sunday. That is, of course, going to be easier said than done, as the Clippers have simply been amazing all season long. Check out our preview of this game below.
The Nets have been quite the surprise at Disney World. After beating the Sacramento Kings on Friday, 119-106, the Nets have now won three of five games in the Orlando bubble and more importantly, have clinched a sure spot in the playoffs, doing all of that without superstars Kevin Duran and Kyrie Irving. The Nets crew down on Orlando has been resilient, even beating the Milwaukee Bucks as 19-point underdogs last Tuesday. Caris LeVert, Joe Harris, and Jarrett Allen have formed some sort of a solid core for Brooklyn, which is playing greater than the sum of its parts. The team is currently third since the NBA season restart in assists with 26.5 dimes per game. LeVert leads the Nets in Orlando with 23.7 points per game, while Harris and Allen are chipping in 20.7 and 16.7, respectively. Allen has been a great presence in the middle for Brooklyn, and he almost had a triple-double in the King game, with 19 points, 11 boards, and eight assists in 36 minutes.
The Nets are 3-1 against the spread in their last four games.
The Clippers are having ups and downs since the Orlando restart, but it’s generally going well for Kawhi Leonard and company. After all, they already have their tickets booked to the playoffs. The Clippers opened up their NBA restart experience with a 126-103 demolition of the New Orleans Pelicans before they got ambushed by the Phoenix Suns in a 117-115 loss (thanks to Devin Booker’s game-winning buzzer beat pull-up J). Although the Nets have shown signs of life, the Clippers should be able to contain Brooklyn, though, that is heavily contingent on Leonard’sand Paul Georg’s availability. The Clippers are dealing with some personnel issues themselves with Montrezl Harrell still yet to return to Orlando and Patrick Beverley dealing with a lower-body issue. However, even without those two, the Clippers outlasted the Dallas Mavericks in a 126-111 win last Thursday. Furthermore, Reggie Jackson played well in lieu of Jackson in the Clippers’ 122-117 win on Saturday against the Portland Trail Blazers, posting 17 points and five assists in 35 minutes.
