It’s time for the unction. The two oldest rosters in the NBA are going head-to-head to cap off Tuesday’s NBA on NBC slate. Both teams have championship aspirations and will be eager to size one another up. Get cozy on the couch for this heavyweight West Coast fight.
The Clippers are 1.5-point road favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook. They’re priced at -122 on the moneyline, while the Warriors are +102 home underdogs. The total for this game is set at 223.5 points. Let’s get into my preview, prediction and pick for this Clippers vs. Warriors game.
Clippers vs. Warriors prediction, preview
A lot of people pressed the panic button after the Clippers’ first game of the season, a jarring defeat against the tanking Utah Jazz. But they’ve rebounded well, dismantling the Phoenix Suns before picking up a hard-fought win against the Portland Trail Blazers. It’s the deepest team they’ve had in a while; so far, head coach Tyronn Lue has deployed 11 different players for at least 10 minutes per night. The additions of Bradley Beal, Chris Paul and Brook Lopez certainly didn’t make them younger, but it made them much better.
The Warriors and Clippers have a knack for creating some banger matchups. The two played in the final week of the regular season in 2024-25 with major seeding implications on the line, and the stars showed out.
The Warriors are coming in with momentum as well. Their first four games of the season have all been against Western Conference playoff contenders. Golden State has sandwiched wins against the Lakers, Nuggets,and Grizzlies around a loss to the Trail Blazers. Now, in their fourth game in five nights, the Warriors face another contender.
This Warriors team is also much deeper than last year’s. Al Horford is the headline addition, but they also brought in a key player by drafting Will Richard. Both former Florida Gators have made immediate impacts. Internal development has also changed the fortunes of the team; Jonathan Kuminga is playing the best basketball of his career. Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green remain the anchors of this team, but a step up by Kuminga alters their trajectory significantly.
Will the Warriors keep the momentum going? Or will the Clippers continue to thrive in this matchup?
Clippers vs. Warriors pick, best bet
A few key factors will affect this matchup. One, the Warriors are coming off a back-to-back and their fourth game in five days. That’s a heavy burden on older legs.
Two, these teams have skewed heavily toward offense in the early going. Golden State is sixth in offensive rating per Cleaning the Glass, and Los Angeles is eighth. Conversely, the Warriors are 22nd in defensive rating, while the Clippers are 18th. It’s a low total for two teams with a lot of offensive talent that haven’t quite figured out the defense yet. I’m expecting a close, high-scoring affair that ultimately results in a Clippers win.
