Two teams at opposite ends of the NBA spectrum will meet this coming Saturday at Staples Center as the red-hot Los Angeles Clippers square off with the struggling Charlotte Hornets. The Clippers have rebounded strongly from their early-season struggles, reeling off seven consecutive victories to storm to the upper echelon of the Western standings. The same can’t be said about the slumping Hornets, however, who are in the midst of a five-game tailspin.
[sc:NBA250 ]Can Charlotte finally snap its losing skid tonight? Or will the Clippers pile more misery on Steve Clifford’s squad? Read on below for an in-depth breakdown of this NBA matchup and while you’re at it, you can check out our previews of San Antonio vs. New York and Golden State vs. Portland.
[sc:NBAArticles ]Charlotte Hornets vs. Los Angeles Clippers Preview
Where: Staples Center, Los Angeles
When: Saturday, January 9, 3:30 PM ET
Line: Charlotte Hornets at Los Angeles Clippers – view all NBA lines
TV Broadcast: FSW2
Betting on the Charlotte Hornets (17-18)
Charlotte’s losing woes show no sign of abating as the Hornets crashed to their fifth straight defeat with a heart-breaking 111-102 loss to Phoenix on Sunday. The Suns lit it up from downtown, draining 19 three-pointers to snap their nine-game losing skid. It was a disappointing result for the reeling Hornets who have now lost eight of their last 10 games.
[sc:NBA240banner ]The Hornets will look to end their losing rut when they face the streaking Los Angeles Clippers tonight. For Charlotte to pull off a major upset, it needs to improve on its play on the defensive end. The Hornets are allowing an average of 111.4 points in their last five games. Their defensive ineptitude was in full display in the game against Phoenix where they allowed the Suns to shoot a whopping 57.6 percent from beyond the arc.
They can ill afford to repeat such a defensive performance against a Clippers side that is 10th in the NBA in three-point percentage, shooting at a high 35.8 percent clip. That being said, the Hornets can only do so much with all the injuries that have ravaged their squad. Al Jefferson, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Nicolas Batum are still out for tonight’s ballgame against Los Angeles because of various injury problems.
The onus then is on Kemba Walker to carry the fight for the Hornets. He leads the team in scoring (19.5 PPG) and steals (1.8) this season. He scored 25 points and dished out six dimes in their last game against the Suns. The Hornets’ offense looked in fine form in that loss to Phoenix with all of their starters scoring in double-figures.
The Hornets are 2-8 SU and 4-6 ATS in their last 10 road games.
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Betting on the Los Angeles Clippers (23-13)
The Los Angeles Clippers stretched their unbeaten run to seven games with a convincing 109-98 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night. Chris Paul led the way for the Clips, scoring 21 points and dishing out a season-high 19 dimes. It was Paul’s fourth straight outing with at least 10 assists.
Key to the Clips’ stunning resurgence has been their incredible offense. Doc Rivers’ men are averaging 103.8 points per game this season, fifth-best in the entire NBA. The Clips have stepped up their offensive play of late, averaging 112.2 points in their last six games. That sizzling offense was in full display Wednesday against the Blazers where they shot a solid 50.6 percent from the field.
What makes this run of the Clippers even more impressive is that they’re doing it without the services of their star big man Blake Griffin. The Clippers are 6-0 since losing the All-Star power forward to a quadriceps injury. Fortunately for the Clips, DeAndre Jordan is stepping up big time in his absence. He recorded his 21st double-double in the win against Charlotte, scoring 14 points and grabbing 14 rebounds.
They will look to keep the momentum going when they take on the Hornets later tonight. The Clippers will fancy their chances of doing just that as they have fared extremely well against the Hornets of late. They have won nine of their last 10 meetings with Charlotte. The Clippers have covered the spread in seven of those 10 games.
The Clippers are 6-4 SU and 5-5 ATS in their last 10 home games.
Writer’s Prediction
Los Angeles wins, 111-99.
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