NBA Odds, Lines & Best Bets: Lakers Vs. Clippers (1/24/23)

Forbes

24 January 2023

Betting Matchup Preview

Who: Los Angeles Clippers vs. Los Angeles Lakers
When: Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2023
Time: 10:00 pm ET
Where: Crypto.Com Arena (Los Angeles, CA)

Betting Odds Summary

Spread: Clippers -5 (-110), Lakers +5 (-110)
Moneyline: Clippers -196, Lakers +164
Total: Over/Under 230 (-110/-110)

Note: Odds and lines from FanDuel Sportsbook are current at the time of writing and subject to change.

Both Los Angeles teams are entering this game on mini two-game winning streaks. The Clippers beat the San Antonio Spurs last Friday and then beat Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks on the road on Sunday.

The Lakers beat Ja Morant and the Grizzlies last Friday. On Sunday, they came back from 25 points down to beat Damian Lillard and the Trail Blazers.

Spread, Moneyline, Total: Clippers vs. Lakers

These teams have had some bumpy starts to their seasons but have since played good basketball. The Clippers have played a good portion of the first half of the season with injuries to stars Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and John Wall.

On the other hand, the Lakers started so pitiful that there seemed no chance of getting into the playoffs. They are 6-4 in their last 10 games and just two games back out of a potential playoff spot.

On Sunday, in a dominant win against Luka Doncic and the Mavericks, the combination of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George finished with 51 points, 30 of which came from Leonard. It was just the fourth time in the last six games that Leonard finished with 30 or more. This is an excellent sign for Clippers fans who are waiting to see him return to form after missing the entirety of the 2021-22 season.

One stat that jumps out: The Clippers are 30-7 against the Lakers since the 2013-14 season. Even though these teams play in the same arena, most fans who attend the games root for the Lakers. The Clippers have won nine in a row dating back to Dec. 22, 2020.

The last time the Lakers beat the Clippers was July 30, 2020, and it was not in front of home fans. It took place in the Orlando bubble during the pandemic season. The last time the Lakers won in front of their home fans was in March 2020.

The Lakers are still without star Anthony Davis. He is practicing with the team and is expected to return from a foot injury later this week. They also got an early start to the NBA trade deadline with a move Monday that saw the team acquire forward Rui Hachimura from the Washington Wizards for Kendrick Nunn and three second-round picks. Hachimura is going to miss tonight’s game due to the timing of the trade.

Despite the Lakers being under .500, they score the sixth most points per game in the NBA at 117.1, mainly because LeBron James is averaging 29.8 points per game, sixth-best in the entire association. James is listed as a game-time decision with an ankle injury.

While the Lakers like to score, they are ranked dead last in the NBA in three-point field goals, making just 10.4 per game. They are 26th in three-point field percentage. In comparison, the Clippers score 12.4 threes per game.

Surprisingly, the Clippers are ranked 29th in points per game at 109.7. A big reason is the injuries sustained throughout this year. However, they have averaged 114 points per game over their last four games.

Oddsmakers have the Clippers as favorites by five points. According to NBA advanced stats, the Lakers are ranked 21st in overall team defense, which plays right into the hands of Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue.

Since George and Leonard returned from injuries, the Clippers have looked more poised and dominant. With Davis sidelined and James dealing with a tweaked ankle, the Clippers should have no problem extending their win streak over the city rivals to 10 games. We are taking the Clippers to win the game and cover the five-point spread.

The total is set at 230 points in this game. They put up 200 and 215 the last two times they met. Even though there are many superstars on both sides of the court, these teams know each other well and play more stingy on defense. Expect that same trend to continue and take the under in this game.

Player Prop Bets: Clippers vs. Lakers

Kawhi Leonard Over 27.5 Points (-104)

We are seeing glimpses of the old Leonard since he returned from an injury this year. He has four 30-point games this month.

Since joining the Clippers, Leonard has played eight games against the Lakers and has averaged 24.5 points per game. This is the first time he will suit up and play against the Lakers this season.

He does not put up many shots, but when he gets the ball in his hands, he makes the most of each opportunity. He also gets to the charity line, making 31 of 33 free throws in his last six games.

Same-Game Parlay

Same-game parlays are wagers that incorporate multiple legs within the same sporting event.

There are a lot of choices to put in a same-game parlay for the Clippers vs. Lakers on Tuesday, but here is a look at four playable selections:

Kawhi Leonard Over 27.5 Points (-104)
LeBron James Over 8.5 Rebounds (+108)
Paul George Over 2.5 Three’s Made (-113)
Russel Westbrook Over 6+ Rebounds (-185)

This parlay gives us +1143 odds, which means a $100 bet would generate $1143 in profits.

We looked at the player props for tonight’s game and decided to go with the four best players on the hardwood for the same-game parlay. We already discussed Leonard’s point total, so we move to James and his rebounding total.

James is listed as a game-time decision. However, we would be shocked if he didn’t play. In his last seven games, James has not had an outing in which he did not have at least eight rebounds. The odds are playable for him to have at least nine this game.

George has struggled to score consistently over the last few weeks, but he can always hit three-pointers. We expect George to return to his ways against a Lakers defense that struggles to contend shots from outside the arc.

Lastly, let’s talk about Westbrook. The demotion to play off the bench has suited him well. After struggling early in the season, Westbrook has returned to his old ways. Westbrook is averaging 6.6 rebounds per game and has had six or more rebounds in seven of the last 10 games.