NBA Summer League continues in Las Vegas with seven games of action taking place across Monday’s slate. In the final matchup of the day, the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers square off. The Lakers enter with a 1-1 record thus far in Las Vegas, while the Clippers are off to a 2-0 start. Tonight’s action begins at 10:30 p.m. EST, closing things down at the Thomas & Mack Center.
DraftKings Sportsbook is listing the Lakers as two-point favorites and -130 on the Moneyline ahead of the contest. The Clippers hold +110 odds on the Moneyline with the game total set at 180.5.
Lakers vs. Clippers Preview, Prediction
The Lakers enter this matchup following a loss to the Mavericks and a victory over the Pelicans. Cole Swider has led the team in scoring in both games thus far, dropping 22 points in the opener and 21 points in the previous game while pulling in 10 rebounds in each. There have been some growing pains for second-year forward Dalton Knecht. Last year’s first-round pick struggled during the California Classic and these issues have carried over to Las Vegas. Knecht dropped 16 points in the opening matchup but shot just 6-for-16 from the field. One would think it starts to click for the 24-year-old soon, but he has not looked like the same guy dating back to the rescinded trade for Mark Williams that would have sent Knecht to Charlotte.
Bronny James is coming off a 14-point performance in the previous game after being held to eight in the opener. Christian Koloko was plugged into the starting lineup in the previous game, adding 13 points and seven rebounds despite picking up seven fouls in the process. Darius Bazley continues to show some nice flashes, combining for 20 points and 21 rebounds through the opening two games, while DJ Steward and Trey Jemison III each have had some nice moments.
The Clippers are off to a 2-0 start to the Las Vegas Summer League, including a 15-point victory over the Bucks. Jordan Miller dropped 23 points with 11 rebounds in the summer league opener and followed this up with a 21-point performance against the Bucks. Cam Christie has dropped 21 points in both games thus far and has shot the ball well. Patrick Baldwin Jr. missed the first game but exploded onto the scene against Milwaukee, adding 22 points and 13 rebounds while notching three steals.
If there is one concern with the Clips, first-round pick Yanic Konan Niederhauser has not looked the part to this point. The Penn State product leapt up draft boards during pre-draft workouts but was held to just one point on 0-for-4 shooting in the first game, still adding 10 rebounds. He followed this up with a two-point and three-rebound performance against the Bucks. The vision for what the seven-footer can be is still clear, but without true NBA spacing with which he can capitalize as a lob threat, he has been limited fairly easily. Kobe Brown and Zavier Simpson have each looked solid as well, although Brown is fighting through an ankle issue.
Lakers vs. Clippers Pick, Best Bet
In theory, the Lakers have more legitimate NBA talent, but it has not looked this way through the opening two games. It is also worth noting that teams are beginning to be cautious with their top talent, so keep an eye on any injury updates. These updates do not come through at nearly as reliable a rate as during the regular season. Still, there has been a sense of identity and purpose with the way this Clippers team has played that should be expected to carry into tonight.
The struggles of Dalton Knecht are beginning to grow a bit more concerning and this Clippers team will not make life easy for him. They’ve turned a page as an organization and has begun embracing a more defensive-minded identity. This effort has carried over to the Summer League unit. They have limited the Rockets and Bucks to 92 and 91 points through the opening two games and forced 21 or more turnovers in both games.
The Clippers have several players who can take primary control of the scoring load with Jordan Miller, Cam Christie, and Patrick Baldwin Jr. at the top of the list. Count on the Clippers looking more connected as a unit on both sides of the ball and having the advantage in tonight’s game. I also lean toward the under of 180.5 with the Lakers holding opponents to 87 and 81 points in their opening two matchups, but am backing the Clippers to pick up their third straight summer league victory and remain undefeated in Las Vegas.
