The NBA Playoffs continue on Sunday and I will have a free pick in the game between the San Antonio Spurs and the Los Angeles Clippers, which will take place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The game has a start time of 10:30 pm (Eastern) and will be televised on TNT. Current Vegas betting odds have the Clippers listed as 1 point favorites, while the total is set at 206.
Analysis: The San Antonio Spurs had a chance on the final day of the season to grab the 2nd seed in the West, but they ran up against a more motivated New Orleans squad and then ended up dropping to 6th in the West. Probably doesn't matter to the Spurs as they feel they can win from any seed. The Spurs went 55-27 overall, which includes a 22-19 mark on the road. San Antonio has gone 12-2 ATS in their last 14 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game and 9-4 ATS in their last 13 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game, but just 3-10 ATS in their last 13 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600. The Spurs have been a good offensive team this year, ranking 7th in scoring (103.2 ppg), 3rd in shooting, 6th in 3 point shooting and 4th in FT shooting. Defensively the Spurs have been solid, ranking 3rd in points allowed (97.0 ppg), 13th in defensive FG% and 24th in 3 point defense.
The Los Angeles Clippers come in as the #3 seed in the West after they went 56-26 overall, which includes 30-11 at home. The Clippers are a very dangerous team heading to the playoffs, as they have won 14 of their last 15 games of the regular season. Do not sleep on this team at all, but they are playing an equally hot team in round one as they will be taking on the Spurs. The Clipps have gone just 4-9 ATS in their last 13 games playing on 3 or more days rest and 2-10 ATS in their last 12 Conference Quarterfinals games. The Clippers have been a very good offensive team this year, ranking 2nd in scoring (106.7 ppg), 2nd in shooting, 3rd in 3 point shooting and 28th in FT shooting. Defensively the Clippers have been rather average, ranking 16th in points allowed (100.1 ppg), 11th in defensive FG% and 15th in 3 point defense.
Pick: I can see this one being a high scoring game. Both teams like to push the tempo and both teams have the ability to score a ton of points in this whole series. 2 of the last 3 meetings between these teams put up 134 and 143 points and that was without OT. This one should be high scoring as well. The Spurs come in averaging 108.8 ppg in their last 8 games, while the Clipps have put up 110.8 ppg in their last 14 games and they have averaged 106 ppg at home for the year. The Spurs can play some defense and the Clippers defense has been improved of late, but this will not be a defensive game as I see both teams putting up at least 105 points here.
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