NBA Basketball: Los Angeles Clippers VS Golden State Warriors Pick and Predictions 03/02/2023

Game: 8:30 PM ET,  Thursday, March 2nd, 2023

Venue: Chase Center, San Francisco, California

TV:  TNT

Clippers: 33-31, 6th place Western Conference

Warriors: 32-30, 5th place Western Conference

BetMGM:  Point Spread: Clippers -3.5, O/U 231.5

PointsBet: Point Spread: Clippers -3.5, O/U 231.5

Fanduel: Point Spread:  Clippers -3, O/U 231.5

Clippers: PG Russell Westbrook, SG Paul George, SF Kawhi Leonard, PF Marcus Morris SR, C Ivica Zubac

Warriors: PG Ty Jerome, SG Klay Thompson, SF Donte DiVincenzo, PF Draymond Green, C Kevon Looney

An NBA battle of California’s two most disappointing teams.  It is not even close.  The Kings are playing above the terrible level they established over the last 2 decades.  The Lakers started the year as a bad roster surrounding LeBron James… they then made trades and now have a good roster surrounding LeBron on the injured list… Neither scenario leads to too much enthusiasm.  The Clippers however are supremely disappointing because three seasons ago they built a super team and nothing from that move has panned out.  And it is getting late.  Kawhi, Paul George, Norman Powell, and now Russell Westbrook will need a Championship and a Championship alone in order to justify the entire Clipper reality.  They won’t get it if they don’t start winning now.  The Golden State Warriors are the NBAs defending CHAMPS… for real.  We can’t tell it by watching them… but we are watching MOSTLY the same players from last year simply fail night after night on the defensive end. The problem is… a bunch of question marks… AND at the moment PG Steph Curry is OUT with injury.  The great betting opportunity here is in staring at that point spread of the Cl;ippers and realizing that the Warriors may be missing multiple starters.

The Los Angeles Clippers need to feel like every moment from here on in is NOW OR NEVER.  It is win or go home and it starts today.  They have won 4 of their last 10 games… causing them to drop in the standings.  They went 4-6 ATS. They lost their last game to the Minnesota Timberwolves 108-101. In that loss they got 23 points from ZSf Kawhi Leonard, and 25 points from SG Paul George… but once again new PG Russell Westbrook played too many minutes and definitely too many minutes LATE for 14 points & 10 assists.  Those are good numbers from any point guard BUT they can not come with such a defensive deficit! The mantle of best player on this team belongs to Kawhi… BUT the winning seems to be up to Paul George to simply take the leadership role.

The Golden State Warriors have won 6 of their last 10 games which enabled them to jump the Clippers in the standings. They went 5-4-1 ATS during that stretch.  The Warriors are on a 3-game winning streak.  They won their last game against the Portland Trail Blazers 123-105.  In that win they got 29 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists from PG/SG Jordan Poole, 23 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists from SG Klay Thompson, and 21 points from SF Dante DiVincenzo… Dante has been a revelation the last few games.  He is filling in admirabl;y for the injured Warriors…BUT man oh man Kawhi should be able to drop 50 on this guy!

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Our prediction for Thursday, March 2nd is…. Clippers 140 - Warriors 101

Big time blow-out.  Bet on the Clippers!  There is no reason not to.  Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, and Norman Powell should be able to drop BIG GAMES on such an injury depleted and defensively challenged team… If they do not?... It is all over for the Clipper sand they know it.

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The Warriors are 17-7 ATs as a home underdog the last 3 seasons.

The Warriors are only 2-9 ATS vs division opponents this season.

The Clippers are 6 OVER and 1 UNDER when playing 4 or less games in 10 days this season.

Pacers: SG Ben Mathurin. Benedict is a killer.  A true ice in his veins scorer that remains a lot of people of a young Donovan Mitchell. He has spent his rookie season coming off the bench and is a real solid sixth man.  Sixth man is not his future however.  Soon (next season) he will be paired in the starting lineup with PG Tyrese Haliburton… and the gloves will be off!  Ben can score.  Ben has decent size for his position… if that coming backcourt is paired with a quality rotation of Forwards?... Lookout for the Pacers to rapidly rise in the standings.  

Spurs:  Nobody.  Seriously, do not watch these Spurs.  This team is losing in order to get lucky in the NBA Draft Lottery.  They sent their best player of the last few years (Dejounte Murray) to the Hawks in order to add draft picks… they sent a quality SG in Derrick White to the Celtics last year to add to their draft picks.  Whatever happens in this coming draft lottery you can bet that THESE SPURS will not survive the coming purge and rebuild… except for SF Keldon Johsnon… but still there is little reason to watch even him.

Pacers: Rick “do I still look like Jim Carrey?” Carlysle

Spurs: Greg “the end is dark” Poppovich