All 30 NBA teams are set to face off on the final day of the regular season. Plenty of teams have turned a page on preparing for the playoffs or shifting to offseason mode with seedings decided. This is not the case for the matchup between the Clippers and Warriors, which will step into center stage of the NBA viewing world.
Currently, the Clippers hold a record of 49-32 which puts them in fifth place in the Western Conference. The Warriors are one game back with a 48-33 record. To further complicate things, the Timberwolves hold the same record as the Warriors and the Nuggets are tied with the Clippers making seeds four through seven fully up for grabs. The winner tonight will secure a top-six playoff seed while the results of each of the games will be necessary to declare the full standings.
The Warriors enter this matchup as 3.5-point favorites and -166 favorites on the Moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Clippers are +140 underdogs on the Moneyline, and the game total is set at 219.5 points.
Best Prop Bets for Clippers vs. Warriors on DraftKings Sportsbook
Steph Curry Under 4.5 Made Three-Pointers (-120)
It should be noted that Steph Curry is listed as questionable for today’s game due to the thumb injury. While it would be shocking to see Curry sidelined, it seems there is a real chance that he could be bothered by the issue. The Warriors star re-injured his thumb on Friday and was forced to undergo x-rays. He returned to play and downplayed the issue following the game but was limited to just 14 points on 6-for-14 shooting from the field and 2-for-8 from beyond the three-point arc.
Curry leads the NBA in three-pointers and three-point attempts per game. Even with this, he is averaging 4.4 made three-pointers per game and has been held to under 4.5 made three-pointers in 42 of the 69 games he has played. In addition, the Clippers have embraced a more defensive-minded approach this season. They rank fourth in opponents’ points allowed, seventh in opponents’ field goal percentage, and fifth in opponents’ three-point percentage allowed. Curry has not faced this Clippers team since November but has been held to under 4.5 made three-pointers in one of the two previous matchups while it took 15 perimeter attempts to clear this total in the other.
Expect a playoff-like atmosphere in the building tonight with the playoff seedings on the line. Every point will be difficult to come by and this will especially be magnified if Curry is bothered at all by his thumb injury. The Warriors star will surely still have his moments, but 4.5 made three-pointers is a high bar especially considering the injury concerns and magnitude of the game.
James Harden Over 8.5 Assists (-135)
James Harden is averaging 22.6 points, 8.7 assists, and 5.8 rebounds per game. He has needed to step up as a scorer at a more regular rate than is likely his preference this season.
At this stage of his career, Harden’s playmaking is his best defining skill with him continuing to have a case for the best passer in the league. He is averaging 8.7 assists per game and recorded over 8.5 assists in 39 games already this season. These numbers have been even more impressive alongside Kawhi Leonard with Harden averaging 9.7 assists across the 36 games with both of them on the floor.
Golden State has shown some high-level defense for stretches this season but Harden has found success this year. He is averaging 11.3 assists per game against the Warriors, tallying as many as 16 assists in a game and recording over 8.5 assists in two of the three matchups. Count on Harden to step up as the clear floor general of the offense and make his impact felt as a passer today. Leonard’s presence on the court will provide the Clippers with their desired balance.
Ivica Zubac to Record 2+ Blocks (+140)
When discussing the improved Clippers’ defense, a great deal of the credit must be given to Ivica Zubac. The Croatian big man is having a career-best year on both sides of the ball and has made a darkhorse push for Defensive Player of the Year down the home stretch of the season. Zubac is averaging 16.7 points, 12.6 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game on the season.
With the playoff seedings on the line, expect a high-level defensive effort from both teams tonight. Zubac sets the tone for this Clippers team with their array of perimeter defenders funneling opponents toward Zubac where he can clean things up. He has blocked as many as six shots in a game this year and recorded two or more blocks in 23 games this season. This includes one of the previous three matchups with the Warriors––recording four blocks.
Zubac has cooled off a bit from a statistical standpoint as he has produced just two blocks across his past seven games. However, he tallied 2+ blocks in five of the seven games before this. Expect the high-intensity atmosphere to bring out the best in Zubac and for there to be a clear focus on setting the tone defensively from both him and the team. I am taking the +140 risk for Zubac to send back two shots for the 24th time this season and second time against the Warriors as he puts a bow on an excellent regular season.
