Clippers owner Donald Sterling’s awful comments has drawn some attention away from the intriguing match up between the Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors. As the series shifts back to Los Angeles tied 2-2, can the Clipper rally on their home floor, or will the small-ball Warriors steal Game 5?
[sc:NBAArticles ]Golden State Warriors vs. Los Angeles Clippers Round 1, Game 5 Betting Preview
Series Schedule & Results
Game 1 – April 19, Golden State 109 Los Angeles 105
Game 2 – April 21, Golden State 98 Los Angeles 138
Game 3 – April 24, Los Angeles 98 at Golden State 96
Game 4 – April 27, Los Angeles 97 at Golden State 118
Game 5– April 29, 8:00 PM ET, Golden State (+6.5) at Los Angeles (-6.5); total: 211 – view all NBA lines
Game 6 – May 1, Los Angeles at Golden State
Game 7 (if necessary) – May 3, Golden State at Los Angeles
Betting on the Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors’ bold decision to finally embrace small-ball could be a decisive turn in the series. The gamble worked right from the tip in Game 4 as the Warriors scored 39 points in the first quarter to set up a comfortable 118-97 win.
[sc:NBA240banner ]The switch finally unleashed the Warriors’ high-octane offense which shot a blistering 55% from the field and 47% from three after struggling from long range in their previous two games.
It also freed up Stephen Curry, who finally broke out with 33 points and hit seven of the Warriors’ 15 three-pointers. Curry wasn’t the only one; Andre Iguodala scored a series-high 22 points while David Lee, Klay Thompson and Harrison Barnes all chipped in with 15 each to round out a balanced Warriors attack.
Golden State’s unsung hero though was Draymond Green, who was inserted into the starting line-up and played capable defense on Blake Griffin, who had gone for 30 points in the last two games. Green’s ability to keep Griffin in check will be crucial for the Warriors going forward.
The Warriors are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games, while the over is 6-1 in their last seven games.
If there was a time to bet on the Warriors, it’s now, as the team faces an expected chance to take control of this series on Tuesday night. Claim a 50% deposit bonus when you deposit and get into the basketball betting action today.
Betting on the Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers were understandably distracted coming into Game 4. Before the game, the players covered up their Clippers logo in their pre-game warm ups and has been dealing with a heavily-increased media contingent around their locker room since Donald Sterling’s alleged racist remarks.
While the players claimed to be focused strictly on basketball coming into the game, their actions spoke otherwise, as they couldn’t rally from the Warriors’ first quarter blitz and line-up change, and never came close in Game 4.
After back-to-back 30-point games, Blake Griffin (21 points on 8-for-14 shooting) couldn’t make the small-ball Warriors pay in the paint, while DeAndre Jordan (0 points) was a non-factor. Whether the Clippers decide to go big or small with their line-up, Griffin must be a bigger factor back in LA.
If Doc Rivers’ response in Game 5 is to go small and concede their size advantage up front, then his choices at forward won’t be too appealing. Matt Barnes (6 PPG), Danny Granger (4.5 PPG) and Hedo Turkoglu (4 PPG) have all been playing poorly for most of the series.
Going small would also put the onus on the Clipper guards. Jamal Crawford had his best game of the series with 26 points in Game 4, and Chris Paul (14 PPG, 43% shooting in his last three games) is due for a breakout game himself.
The Clippers are 4-1 SU/ATS in their last five home games vs. the Warriors, while the over is 6-1 in their last seven games.
Writer’s Prediction
With distractions set to follow the Clippers back home, the small-ball Warriors cover the +6.5 spread as road underdogs in Game 5.
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