We’re feeling bullish on the Blazers today; even though they’ll be without some of their big men, they’re still feisty. We’ve seen Anfernee Simons slowly return to form as the shots fall more consistently. If he can continue to hit 3s at levels he’s done in the past, this squad could come together.
We like Portland's defensive matchups tonight. Ayton will probably give up a fair number of points in the paint to Zubac, so maybe take the points over, but other than that, it should be solid. James Harden has been on fire lately, alongside Norm Powell, but with Deni Avdija, Jerami Grant, and Toumani Camara out there, we think they can be slowed down.
This one will all come down to Portland scoring, though. They’ve been hit or miss this year, but they generally come out on top when the shot falls. Portland will have to do it on the defensive end of the floor, though. Their offense has relied heavily on transition baskets to compensate for streaky shooting. If they can force some turnovers and win the rebounding battle, they should be able to keep up with the Clippers without Kawhi.
Overall, this is a bit of a long shot. Portland hasn’t done amazing on the road this year, and the Clippers are full of veteran talent. Scoot Henderson’s availability is also questionable, and the lack of another downhill playmaker could stagnate the offense. We hope Henderson can suit up tonight, but we like Portland's odds tonight.
The Clippers continue to clip. Again, Kawhi is out, and this team is stuck in the middle. Sitting at 13-9, their record isn’t bad; that places them 6th in the West. This team shows you what a roster full of veteran talent can get you. Guys like Harden and Norm Powell have carried this team forward, while Zubac remains a solid starting-caliber center. It’s just hard to get excited for this team anymore. We’ve seen this story play out before, and it feels like a repeat of last year. Hopefully, Kawhi can make it back soon, but until that happens, this season will be the peak for this roster.
The matchup tonight might also be challenging. The Clippers played Portland earlier in the season and came out with a one-point victory. However, since then, the Clippers have struggled with pace and young teams. They lost back-to-back games to Houston and OKC. They sit near the bottom of the league in pace, which makes sense with Harden. If Portland can force the Clippers to get out in a run, it could make for a challenging evening.
That’s a big if, though. LA has won so many games because they control the pace. They slow teams down, grind them out in the half-court, and let Harden work. They don’t tend to run up the score, either. They’re 23 in the league for score per game at 109. This is a mechanical team.
If the ref keeps this game slow, and the Clippers can limit turnovers and rebounds, they’ll grind Portland down. They can’t get stuck in a foot race against a much younger and more athletic group. We still think Portland has a solid chance to do just that. So we like the Portland moneyline at +285 for this matchup!
Blazers Injuries:
Scoot Henderson Questionable
Donovan Clingan Out
Robert Williams III Out
Matisse Thybulle Out
Injuries:
Kevin Porter Jr Out
Kobe Brown Out
Kawhi Leonard Out
Spread: POR +8.5 (-108) / LAC -8.5 (-112)
Total Points: 221
Moneyline: POR (+285) / LAC (-375)
Ivica Zubac Over 14.5 Points (-125)
Deandre Ayton Double Double Yes (-155)
Jarami Grant Over 2.5 Rebounds (-162)
Norm Powell 30+ Combined Points + Rebounds + Assists (+175)