As part of the 12-game NBA schedule tonight, the Los Angeles Clippers will take on the New York Knicks.
This marks the first matchup between these two teams this season. They have had very different seasons to this point. The Knicks have looked like one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference for most of the season, but have shown some areas of weakness lately. In contrast, the Clippers have remained near the bottom of the Western Conference for most of the season, but have played some encouraging basketball in recent games.
Looking at the odds for this matchup, the Knicks enter as narrow 4.5-point favorites and hold -185 odds on the Moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Clippers hold +154 odds of winning outright with the game total set at 223.5 points.
This article will look at a preview and prediction for the Wednesday night matchup.
Clippers vs. Knicks Preview
The Los Angeles Clippers hold a 13-22 record on the season and remain in 12th place in the Western Conference. They have, however, won seven of their last eight games to provide a pulse to their outlook on the season. Kawhi Leonard’s resurgence has changed the outlook of the team, with the six-time All-Star looking like one of the top players in the NBA once again. Los Angeles is 15-20 against the spread, and the game total has gone under in 19 of their 35 games.
Looking at the stats on the season, Leonard is averaging 28.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 3.5 assists while leading the NBA with 2.1 steals per game. James Harden also continues to perform at a high level, posting averages of 25.7 points, 8.0 assists, and 4.8 rebounds per game. Harden has been upgraded to probable with his shoulder injury ahead of tonight’s matchup. Bogdan Bogdanovic, Derrick Jones Jr., and Bradley Beal remain sidelined due to injury. Ivica Zubac made his return to the floor after battling an ankle injury and is posting averages of 15.0 points and 11.0 rebounds per game. John Collins, Kris Dunn, Brook Lopez, and Nico Batum each also play a notable role in the rotation.
As a team, the Clippers are averaging 112.1 points per game, which ranks 27th in the NBA. They rank 12th in offensive rating, 12th in field goal percentage, 10th in three-point percentage, and 28th in pace. Defensively, opponents are scoring 114.2 points per game, which ranks 10th in the league. Los Angeles ranks 22nd in defensive rating, 18th in opponents’ field goal percentage, and 24th in opponents’ three-point percentage.
The New York Knicks enter with a 23-13 record on the season, and have slipped to third place in the Eastern Conference. They have lost four consecutive games entering this matchup, including the Pistons blowing them out by 31 points in the previous matchup. This marks their longest losing streak of the season. The Knicks are 19-18 against the spread this season, and the game total has gone over in 21 of the 36 games.
The Knicks are averaging 119.6 points per game, which is the fifth-best scoring total in the NBA. They rank fourth in offensive rating, 14th in field goal percentage, fourth in three-point percentage, and 22nd in pace. Opponents are scoring 115.1 points per game against New York, which ranks 12th in the league. The Knicks rank 18th in defensive rating, 14th in opponents’ field goal percentage, and 26th in opponents’ three-point percentage.
Jalen Brunson headlines the team’s production with 29.2 points and 6.3 assists, while shooting 37.9% from beyond the three-point arc. Karl-Anthony Towns adds 21.5 points and 11.5 rebounds, while Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby have each had some nice flashes in the new Mike Brown system. Whether it is newfound depth or just more willingness to lean on these options with the new coaching regime, the Knicks have gotten strong production from the bench all season. Miles McBride, Mitchell Robinson, Tyler Kolek, and Jordan Clarkson have each had some really positive flashes. Josh Hart and Landry Shamet remain sidelined due to injury.
Clippers vs. Knicks Prediction, Best Bet
These are two teams trending in opposite directions, and I expect each of these to continue tonight. The Clippers have won seven of their last eight games, including victories over the Warriors, Pistons, Rockets, and Lakers over this stretch. Not only has New York lost four straight, but they were blown out and out toughed by the Pistons in the previous game. In addition, they were defeated handily by the 76ers before this, lost by 12 to the Hawks in the game before, and they came up short against the Spurs in this stretch.
From a matchup perspective, look for the Clippers to attack the three-point line and have success in this area. The Knicks have struggled to defend this area of the court all season, ranking 25th in opponents’ three-point attempts allowed and 26th in opponents’ three-point percentage. The Clippers rank 10th in the league in three-point percentage, with players like Harden, Leonard, Lopez, and Batum each capable of getting hot.
It also has looked as if they have overcompensated for this in recent games and become more vulnerable on the interior. The Pistons bullied the Knicks in the previous game, outscoring them 52-34 in the paint and outrebounding them 44-30. Expect Ivica Zubac to have some success battling with Karl-Anthony Towns and for the Knicks’ defense to fail to live up to its peak until Josh Hart returns.
For the sake of this article, I am locking in the Clippers to cover the +4.5-point spread, but Los Angeles should be viewed as live underdogs in this matchup. This recent stretch of games has been the first time there should be real concern about this Knicks team. Their defensive issues have been evident with this core across the past few seasons, but their offensive production has not made up for this of late. Desperation appears to set in for the Clippers, and they have played with an increased intensity of late. Look for them to carry this intensity to capitalize on the vulnerable matchup tonight by covering the 4.5-point spread tonight.
