The Portland Trail Blazers have cooled off after their red-hot start to the season, dropping five of their last six games. Obviously, the injury to Damian Lillard hasn’t helped, but it won’t get any easier against a defensively stout Los Angeles Clippers team on Tuesday night.
And if there is a team that has figured out how to navigate injuries this season, it’s the Clippers, who will once again be many key stars. Is there value in the Clippers as 3.5-point underdogs, and is there someone who can step up in their absence?
I dig through the numbers and bring you my best bet in our free NBA picks and predictions for Clippers vs. Trail Blazers.
Clippers vs Trailblazers best odds
Clippers vs Trailblazers picks and predictions
The Clippers are navigating through injuries to their key players better than most. The team is 12-9 despite Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and John Wall missing a ton of combined games.
They’ve done so, thanks mostly to a defense that ranks second in defensive rating, but some players are starting to step up on the offensive end as well, including shooting guard Norman Powell. The Clippers' super sixth man has a great opportunity to put up some points in this one.
Powell has taken it upon himself to shoulder more of the load on offense recently. He has upped his field goal attempts from 11 to 14.4 over the last five games and is shooting 50% from the field and averaging 20.6 points per game over that stretch. And while Powell may not be a starter, he is logging 27.7 minutes per game over the last five games.
Tonight, he goes up against a Blazers team that is mediocre at best on the defensive end of the floor. Portland ranks 19th in defensive rating, and opposing guards have been posing a problem for Chauncey Billups' squad. The Blazers rank 24th in points allowed per game and 19th in 3-point percentage to opposing guards.
Powell has eclipsed 18.5 points three times in his last five games, and at even money in this matchup, he’s good value to go Over his points prop once again.
My best bet: Norman Powell Over 18.5 points (+100)
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Clippers vs Trailblazers spread analysis
The Blazers coming flying out of the gates was one of the most exciting things about this early NBA season. However, Portland eventually cooled off, and to make matters worse, star point guard Damian Lillard is now sidelined with a calf strain.
The Blazers have now dropped five of their last six games, going 2-4 against the spread, and are scoring just 106.7 points per game over that span. You're not going to win games struggling on offense going against this Clippers team.
Los Angeles has survived its barrage of injuries thanks to its high level of effort on defense. The Clippers rank second in the NBA when it comes to defensive rating and opponent field goal percentage. Despite this, the betting action has moved the Trail Blazers from -2 to -3.5 as of Tuesday afternoon.
No official play for me here, but I would lean toward taking the points with the Clippers in this one. They are an elite defensive team and have managed their injury situation better than the Blazers have.
Clippers vs Trailblazers Over/Under analysis
The total for this Western Conference matchup hit the board as high as 217, but the Under has been hammered so far, dropping the total all the way to the current number of 211. Even at this lower number, there still may be value on the Under.
That’s because the Clippers are a perfect Under team with all of their current injuries. They still have an elite defense combined with arguably the worst offense in the NBA. The Clippers are next-to-last in the NBA when it comes to offensive rating and dead last in scoring, putting up just 106.4 points per game. So, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Clippers are an NBA-best 16-5 to the Under this season.
Mix in the fact both teams rank in the bottom third of the league in pace of play, and this game is a strong candidate to fall below this number.
Clippers vs Trailblazers betting trend to know
The Under is 19-7 in the Clippers' last 26 games overall and 5-1-2 in the Trail Blazers' last eight home games vs. a team with a winning road record. Find more NBA betting trends for Clippers vs. Trailblazers.
Clippers vs Trailblazers game info
| Location: | Moda Center, Portland, OR |
| Date: | Tuesday, November 29, 2022 |
| Tip-off: | 10:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | TNT |
