A potential first round playoff matchup is in the offing later tonight as the Portland Trail Blazers welcome the Los Angeles Clippers in Moda Center. The Blazers (48-24) are currently No. 4 in the Western Conference standings, while the Clips (49-26) are No. 5. Will the Clippers win their regular season series versus Portland? Or will the Blazers even things up? You can also click here for a detailed breakdown of Cavs vs. Heat.
[sc:NBAArticles ]Los Angeles Clippers vs. Portland Trail Blazers Preview
Where: Moda Center, Portland
When: Wednesday, April 1, 10:00 PM ET
Line: Los Angeles Clippers (+2.5) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (-2.5); total: 210.0 – view all NBA lines
Betting on the Los Angeles Clippers
Blake Griffin went off for 40 points, but the Clippers still failed to keep their seven-game win streak alive as they fell to the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday, 110-106. The Clippers can pick up the pieces of that shattering loss tonight, when they head to Portland, where they are 4-6 ATS in their last 10 visits there.
[sc:NBA240banner ]Despite the loss to Golden State, the Clippers must like what they saw in Griffin heading into the showdown with the Blazers.
Griffin was a big factor for the Clippers when they won their first two meetings with Portland. Griffin has averaged 20.5 points in two games played against Portland thus far this season. He wasn’t around when the Blazers beat LA 98-93 on March 4. With him back in the lineup, he’ll not just be a big help on offense, but will also be major key on defense, especially when it comes to containing LaMarcus Aldridge. Aldridge scored 29 points in Portland’s March win over the Clips.
Chris Paul, meanwhile, will look to duplicate tonight his impressive performance in that game, albeit in a loss. Paul skewered Portland’s defense for a season-high 36 points and 12 assists. He got ample help from sharpshooter J.J. Redick, who scored 26 points on 11-of-27 shooting. Paul, who scored 27 points and passed for nine assists in the Warriors game, is averaging 23.5 points and 10.9 assists over the Clips’ past eight games. Redick, meanwhile, is chipping in 21.6 points on 56 percent shooting during the same stretch.
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Betting on the Portland Trail Blazers
After beating the Phoenix Suns 109-96 on Monday, the Blazers now look to extend their win streak to five games when they host the Clippers tonight. Portland is 7-3 SU and 6-4 ATS in its last 10 home games against LA.
Portland got balanced scoring from its players against the Suns with five different Blazers finishing with at least 12 points. Damian Lillard led all scorers with 19 points; LaMarcus Aldridge put up 17 points; Aaron Afflalo and Nicolas Batum provided 16 points apiece; while Chris Kaman chipped in 12 points off the bench.
Portland hopes to get that kind of spread-out scoring production again versus Los Angeles. In their most recent meeting with the Clips, the Blazers bucked Lillard’s nightmarish 1-of-13 shooting from the field, as he finished with just five points. Fortunately for the Blazers, Batum was there to compensate for Lillard’s ineptitude by scoring 20 points to help Aldridge (29 points) carry the team to victory. Lillard, however, has since recovered from that ugly performance, as he has averaged 19.8 points in the 14 games that followed.
On defense, Portland must neutralize the Clippers’ running game—again. Portland appears to have the LA’s number on transition, as it limited the Clippers to just five fastbreak points, which is way below their season average of 14.1 a game.
Writer’s Prediction
Los Angeles (+2.5) wins, 112-109.
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