Clippers vs Thunder Odds, Picks, and Predictions Tonight: No Big Boom

After a rocky start to the James Harden era in L.A., the Clippers have gone on an incredible run that has seen them win eight straight games over some high-quality opponents.

Things won’t get any easier with a red-hot Thunder team playing host to the Clippers on Thursday night, but will their steady play help them steal one here on the road?

Join me as I break down the NBA odds and offer my best free NBA picks for Clippers vs. Thunder on Thursday, December 21. 

Clippers vs Thunder odds

Clippers vs Thunder predictions

This game has all the makings of a mess from a bettor’s point of view. The Los Angeles Clippers are listing both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George as questionable entering this one, and even though both injuries (a contusion and an illness, respectively) are rather minor, the line here would indicate that one or both of those guys will be missing for L.A. on Thursday.

It would seem to be a good spot for Ty Lue to rest his stars if they’re not up to 100%, considering the team’s on the second night of a back-to-back and has a tough game against the Celtics coming up over the weekend. Still, there’s plenty to like here with the Clippers. James Harden has been doing an excellent job on the offensive side of the ball as the Clippers have posted an insane 126.1 points per 100 possessions to lead all teams over the past 10 games, and with a defense that’s been steady all season long, that’s a recipe for a lot of victories.

In the non-Leonard minutes over the last 10, the Clippers are still posting a scorching 121.7 offensive rating, and it’s been the defensive side of the ball where the absence of both has been felt. Assuming just one of the pair can go, I do feel pretty good about LA here considering the matchup.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have taken the bulk of its shots from the midrange and within four feet of the rim, according to Cleaning the Glass, and the midrange has been a nightmare for opponents of the Clippers this season considering their seventh-ranked defense in that zone. They’ve left a lot to be desired at the rim, but things have been steadily improving after the addition of Daniel Theis and a return to normal minutes for Ivica Zubac.

The Thunder haven’t exactly been great inside of four feet, hitting just 65.3% of their shots in that zone, and while they’ve done a good job shooting from outside this Clippers perimeter defense is one of the best in the league. That should hold up enough without George and Leonard considering Terence Mann’s excellence in that area and the contributions of Norman Powell on defense off the bench. I do think there’s a chance we’ll see either George or Leonard here as well with a couple of days off before the Boston game, and with that, I think the points are a great deal here.

My best bet: Clippers +6 (-106 at FanDuel)

Clippers vs Thunder same-game parlay

Clippers +6

Ivica Zubac Over 10.5 rebounds

Ivica Zubac 2+ blocks

+357 at FanDuel

The Thunder defense has been so great across the board this season that it’s pretty hard to pinpoint one Clippers player that should go off in this one. I’d prefer to pivot to the rebounding department when it comes to player props, considering the Clippers have ranked 11th in that regard over the last 10 games in what’s been a marked improvement. On top of that, the Thunder rank 29th in rebounding for the season and are just 27th over the last 10.

Zubac, as noted above, has returned to playing regular minutes for this Clippers team even though his playing time has fluctuated a bit. He should still be locked into roughly 25 or more minutes, and with the efficient rate he’s been pulling down rebounds, I think he should be able to get himself to 11 here. He’s done so in two of his past three contests and has averaged more than 10 boards per game over his last seven. Against a Thunder team that likes to shoot around the rim, I think we’ll see him log a good deal of playing time and he should shatter this Over.

I’m also going to take a chance on Zubac to go for two or more blocks here. We’ve covered how the Thunder love to try and score around the rim, and Zubac has logged at least two blocks in five of his last seven games. With what I envision to be a busy night for the Clippers big man, I think he should be in a position to cash this prop as well

Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.

Clippers vs Thunder spread and Over/Under analysis

The moneyline for LA is very much in play. While the spread would indicate some skepticism regarding the status of George and Leonard, the good news here is that Powell is going to be 100% healthy after missing last night’s game due to illness. This is incredibly encouraging considering this game will be one or lost from the 3-point line. On top of that, Leonard told reporters on Wednesday night that he’d be good to go on Thursday, so there are reasons to believe the Clippers could be at full strength here.

We also know that this matchup is a nightmare for the Thunder considering the Clippers have locked down the paint all season long, so even at home here they could be prone to an upset.

I love the Over here as well. Both of these teams have made their bread on defense this season, but the Clippers have looked downright unstoppable on the offensive side of late as they’ve sacrificed a bit of defense. The Over is also 24-21-1 when the Clippers have played the second night of a back-to-back under Ty Lue, and as favorites this season the Thunder have cashed the Over in six of 10 games.

Clippers vs Thunder betting trend to know

The Oklahoma City Thunder have hit the Team Total Over in 29 of their last 38 games at home (+18.65 Units / 43% ROI) Find more NBA betting trends for Clippers vs. Thunder.

Clippers vs Thunder game info

Clippers vs Thunder latest injuries

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