Another close call on a total, although in the last minute there was a bit of garbage, but I'll take it!
Here's my take on the late game tonight.
The Thunder have been traveling a lot back and forth from home and away games, and they are coming off of two overtime games. The Clippers are playing their sixth game in nine days. These guys are professional athletes, and I don?t buy too much into the ?they get tired? angles. I think they will have plenty of adrenaline to get up for tonight?s game, but I do believe that the wear of the game and travel can take a toll on a team?s ability to score in the form of long distance shots.
In the game earlier this season, before overtime there were 204 points. 58 of these were from the free throw line, which I don?t see happening again. These teams are so much fun to watch offensively, that it is easy to forget that the Clippers are fifth in the league in defensive efficiency, and the Thunder are seventh. They both do play a fast pace. This is going to be a playoff atmosphere tonight, and teams tend to step up and play good defense in that case. Finally, I love Chris Paul, but Bledsoe is a great defender. Russell Westbrook is turnover prone, and I believe that Bledsoe will really irritate him tonight. Chris Paul was a non-factor in the last game, and the Clippers still forced overtime in Oklahoma. The Clippers at home this season have held opponents that have a winning record to an average of 88.3 ppg. Tonight, the stage is theirs in LA.
Clippers +2.5
Clippers UNDER 200.5
Good luck...
