LA Clippers vs Cleveland Cavaliers Prediction: The Clippers are out-of-rhythm

The NBA Regular Season is on and we have seen a great window where many teams have exceeded expectations whereas some have fallen away from expectations. This is still early season and we will see some squads unravel anytime soon, the Utah Jazz has been red-hot, but they can fall apart too. Meanwhile, a team that lost to Utah Jazz lately, the Los Angeles Clippers will take on the Cleveland Cavaliers here.

The Clippers had another downer in the season as they suffered a 102:110 loss against the Jazz in another underwhelming offensive outing. The Clippers are now with five wins and five losses and they are yet to win against a team with a winning record. This is a symptom of a team that is not functioning well and the Clippers are looking like they did last season. Same old problems with offense and a flailing effort for most parts, completely dependent upon Paul George

George has scored 28 or more in four games straight, and he has had to do too much. When he is on the bench, the Clippers look clueless and they rely upon Paul playing hero ball more than they’d like. Reggie Jackson has been ineffective, Norman Powell has been unreliable whereas Marcus Morris has done well but not enough. Ivica Zubac has been in great touch as a rebounder, defender and as pick-and-roll option but again, he is more of a supporting player. The Clippers need Kawhi Leonard soon, they are becoming predictable.

The Cleveland Cavaliers come into this game after defeating the LA Lakers 114:100 as Donovan Mitchell rolled in 33 points. Cavaliers have been one of the best teams in the league and the acquisition of Mitchell has paid immediate dividends. The return of Darius Garland has further boosted the playmaking and scoring end whereas Caris LeVert has been a solid all-around player in the three-guard rotation. Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley form a beautiful complimentary big duo.

The duo keeps the scoring down, both inside and outside. The Cavs' defense has been superb while their offense has closed won the deal when there are close games and it has also helped them compile various one-sided wins. The bench has Kevin Love who continues to be a factor whereas Cedi Osman has been leaving decent impact but remains inconsistent. The Cavs are on fire right now and they have begun the season at a high note.

• Clippers: OUT: John Wall, Kawhi Leonard. Game-Time Decisions: Reggie Jackson, Luke Kennard;
• Cavaliers: OUT: Dylan Windler, Ricky Rubio.

• Expected Leading Scorers: Donovan Mitchell (30+), Paul George (30+);
• Expected Leading Rebounders: Jarrett Allen (10-14), Ivica Zubac (10-14), Evan Mobley(7-11);
• Expected Leading Playmaker: Darius Garland (8-11 Assists).

The Cavaliers have been a powerful unit these days and they have showcased amazing grit on both ends of the floor. The Clippers have been decent defensively but their offense has been among the worst in the league, they just keep on relying on George, barely running high-yielding plays, the ball movement is just atrocious during many possessions. The Cavs are blessed with a guard lineup that has learned to co-exist and their depth is miles ahead in all spheres. That is why I believe they will nab a win here and restrict the Clippers to low points. The points range can be 206-214 here.