A crucial clash looms as the LA Clippers and Portland Trail Blazers battle for playoff positioning, potentially mirroring a play-in round matchup. The Clippers enter Tuesday night’s matchup against the Blazers with a 39-36 record, good for the eighth seed in the competitive Western Conference. They sit just 1.5 games ahead of Portland and three games clear of the 10th-place Golden State Warriors.
As things stand entering Tuesday’s slate, the Clippers control their own fate. All seven of their remaining games come against Western Conference opponents, with five against teams fighting for playoff seeding and two against play-in contenders, including two against Portland and one against the Warriors to close out the regular season.
The Clippers own the tiebreaker after winning the first two games of the season, with the remaining two set to be the deciding factor. The Clippers won the first matchup 114-107 on Oct. 26 behind Kawhi Leonard’s 30 points. In the second matchup, they secured a 119-103 win on Dec. 26, led by James Harden’s 34 points.
Portland Trail Blazers vs LA Clippers Odds
Moneyline: Blazers (+180) vs Clippers (-218)
Spread: Blazers +5.5 (-105) vs Clippers -5.5 (-114)
Total (O/U): Blazers o226.5 (-113) vs Clippers u226.5 (-110)
Editor’s note: The odds could change close to the game. The odds listed were as per available information at the time of writing.
Portland Trail Blazers vs LA Clippers Preview
The Trail Blazers have been a revelation this season. After missing the postseason in each of the last four seasons, they are currently ninth in the standings and fighting for a play-in spot. They have gone 7-3 in their last 10 games.
Portland last played on Sunday, when they secured a lopsided 123-88 win against the Washington Wizards. Toumani Camara led the team with 23 points and seven rebounds, while Deni Avdija loaded up the stat sheet with 20 points, seven rebounds and five assists.
For much of the season, the Clippers appeared to be heading for the lottery, as they were 6-21 on Dec. 18 and chasing teams from behind. That picture has shifted dramatically. The Clippers have surged with an eye-opening 33-15 run over their last 48 games, allowing them to overtake the multiple teams including Golden State Warriors and reshape the standings.
LA is on a five-game winning streak (their third of the season) and has won six of its last 10 games. The team had previously been on a four-game losing streak before getting back to winning ways.
The Clippers are coming off a 127-113 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday at home. Bennedict Mathurin came off the bench to lead the team with 28 points, John Collins added 22 points, while Kawhi Leonard had 20 in 23 minutes.
Portland Trail Blazers vs LA Clippers Injury Reports
Portland Trail Blazers Injury Report
Jerami Grant will miss his second straight game with a calf strain. He joins Vit Krejci (calf), Shaedon Sharpe (calf) and Damian Lillard (achilles) on the inactive list.
LA Clippers Injury Report
Isaiah Jackson (ankle), Yannick Konan Niederhauser (foot) and Bradley Beal (hip) remain listed out for the Clippers.
Portland Trail Blazers vs LA Clippers Starting Lineups
Blazers
PG: Jrue Holiday | SG: Toumani Camara | SF: Deni Avdija | PF: Matisse Thybulle | C: Donovan Clingan
Clippers
PG: Darius Garland | SG: Kawhi Leonard | SF: Derrick Jones Jr. | PF: John Collins | C: Brook Lopez
Portland Trail Blazers vs LA Clippers Prediction
The Clippers have the upper hand in the matchup, winning 12 of the last 14 meetings. These teams frequently produce high-scoring games, and that trend could continue Tuesday, with two two-way stars in Kawhi Leonard and Deni Avdija expected to spearhead their teams.
Bettors listed the Clippers as 5.5-point favorites. Another win over Portland could boost LA’s play-in odds, but a loss could see them drop further depending on other results in the remaining games.
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