Before the season, most would have expected the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Clippers to be in opposite circumstances. The loss of Jayson Tatum, combined with several offseason trades, left the Celtics less potent. Yet they remain dangerous and sit third in the Eastern Conference. The Clippers shored up in the offseason, but fell completely flat and have scrabbled to get to 12-21. I’m excited to see what these two teams have in store for us.
Tipoff is set for 10:30 p.m. ET. Los Angeles enters as a 1.5-point home favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook, while Boston is a -102 underdog. The game’s total is set at 219.5 points. Let’s get into a pick and prediction for this matchup.
Celtics vs. Clippers Preview
Arguably the two hottest scorers in basketball will be facing off tonight. Jaylen Brown is scoring 29.5 PPG on the season, and he recently broke a streak of nine straight games with 30 points scored. His mastery in the midrange has been a consistency for Boston’s offense. Brown sure got upset about not winning the December Player of the Month award, and his team has backed him up.
He’ll go head-to-head with Kawhi Leonard, who is averaging 40 PPG over his last five games, including a career-high 55 points against the Pistons. Leonard has shown up in a big way for the Clippers as they look to resuscitate a season already on life support. He’s doing it the way he’s always done it, with unbelievably tough buckets.
These two take center stage, but we have more to watch here. Derrick White is on a dominant defensive run and will be tasked with containing James Harden, which is no small task. Ivica Zubac is returning to the lineup against a team that has struggled to contain size and physicality. Payton Pritchard continues to cook and can be the X-factor here. We also have two of the best head coaches in the game, Tyronn Lue and Joe Mazzulla, going head-to-head with their tactics and rotations. So, who takes the prize in this exciting nightcap?
Celtics vs. Clippers Pick, Best Bet
One thing is for sure: the stars will cook here. Who wins the duel between Brown and Leonard may ultimately decide the game. But this Celtics team is flat-out better top to bottom, and their frenetic passing and spacing will create problems for an aging Clippers roster. Give me the Celtics as road underdogs.
