The first two games between the Los Angeles Clippers and Oklahoma City Thunder have resulted in two rather anticlimactic blowouts. Will Game 3 feature the closely-contested matchup most expected at the start of the series?
Los Angeles Clippers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Round 2, Game 3 Betting Preview
Series Scores & Schedule
Game 1 – May 5, 9:30 PM ET – Los Angeles 122 at Oklahoma City 105
Game 2 – May 7, 9:30 PM ET – Los Angeles 101 at Oklahoma City 112
Game 3 – May 9, 10:30 PM ET – Oklahoma City (+3.5) at Los Angeles (-3.5); total: 214.0 – view all NBA lines
Game 4 – May 11, 3:30 PM ET – Oklahoma City at Los Angeles
Game 5 (if necessary) – May 13, TBA – Los Angeles at Oklahoma City
Game 6 (if necessary) – May 15, TBA – Oklahoma City at Los Angeles
Game 7 (if necessary) – May 18, TBA – Los Angeles at Oklahoma City
Betting on the Oklahoma City Thunder
Where Chris Paul’s 32-point explosion in Game 1 felt unsustainable, young studs Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook look entirely capable of replicating their Game 2 triple-double efforts a couple more times as the series goes on.
[sc:NBA240banner ]Durant is, after all, the newly-crowned MVP, an award he won by routinely posting similar 32-point, 12-rebound, and nine-assist lines throughout the regular season. Meanwhile, Westbrook has been every bit as good as the MVP, with three triple-doubles in his last five games.
But as good as those two are, they’ll need a little more help from their teammates eventually. Reggie Jackson and Caron Butler have just 14 points in the first two games combined.
They did receive an unexpected 14-point explosion from Thabo Sefolosha, but it’s unlikely that Thabo can reach that mark again (he only reached 14 points three times in the regular season). However, that might just give Coach Scott Brooks the confidence to play Thabo – and his much-needed perimeter defense – for longer stretches in Game 3.
Sefolosha’s defense against the Clippers, who score so well at home, will be much needed in Los Angeles. The Thunder are 3-1 SU/ATS in their last four road games against the Clippers.
Betting on the Los Angeles Clippers
With all due respect to the likes of Chris Paul and Matt Barnes – the Clippers’ two best perimeter defenders –neither of them can or will slow down either Durant or Westbrook much in this series, as Game 2 so clearly showed.
That puts the onus on the Clippers’ offense to win this series. Their Game 1 performance indicated that they’re certainly capable of simply outscoring the Thunder, but all their weapons have to fire on all cylinders, which they didn’t in Game 2.
Blake Griffin (15 points, 5-for-13 FGs) had a pedestrian game by his standards, while 6th man Jamal Crawford (seven points, 2-for-13 FGs) came back to earth after averaging 20 PPG in his last five. Those numbers are likely to go back up for both in Game 3 at home.
The Clippers have definitely felt at home in Staples Center throughout these playoffs. They’re averaging 120 PPG in four playoff games at home, eight more than the next best team. It’s no surprise that the total also went over in all four of those games.
Writer’s Prediction
A third straight blowout would be unlikely, but a third straight high-scoring game between these explosive offensive clubs wouldn’t at all be surprising. Take the over (214.0) in Game 3.
