LA Clippers vs LA Lakers Prediction: The Lakers have no clue. Clippers rely on George

The NBA Regular Season has been really showing us some incredible battles and the competition level has been top-notch. There has been a rise of underdogs such as the Portland Trail Blazers and Utah Jazz that has shaken the leave in big ways. The Jazz has beaten the Los Angeles Lakers twice and the Los Angeles Clippers once. The Lakers and the Clippers will battle it out here.

LA Clippers

The Clippers had a comeback win against the Cavaliers as they won 119:117 behind Paul George’s 26 points. They were down by as much as 12 late in the game but the team unlocked some brilliant defense and players made both key field goals and free throws to get the advantage. Their comeback was headlined by an incredible three-point play by Paul George late in the game that proved to be decisive.

And Paul George has once again been the central theme for the Clippers when they have won. He has been scoring around 30 points regularly and has been one of the best late-game scorers thus far. This proves that the Guard has a lot left in the tank and we are witnessing his prime. Apart from George, Ivica Zubac has had a great impact as the help defender and rebounder with some decent inside scoring. However, mostly the Clippers depend on PG-13 to get it done.

Reggie Jackson has been struggling to shoot the ball but remains an integral part of the lineup. Marcus Morris has had some impressive games whereas athletic Guard Terance Mann has worked his way back into the rotation. Norman Powell has been a mixed bag and if he gets it going, the Clippers will have a much more efficient offense, an end where they have struggled. The Clippers are not a clinical team by any means but they do scrape hard to get things going without their two-way Superstar Wing Kawhi Leonard. When will he come back?

LA Lakers

It seems like we are having a re-run of the last season when it comes to the Lakers. They come into this game after suffering an embarrassing 116:139 defeat against the Jazz despite a 29 points performance by Anthony Davis and without LeBron James, their defense also looked even worse. The team has been awful on both ends of the floor and lately, they have looked in their worst shape. They have allowed 130 or more in two of the three games and this has dented their progress even further.

The Lakers have not shot well from deep which has been their biggest Achilles Heel and they don’t seem to be improving from that end anytime soon. LeBron James has been putting up numbers but they look hollow without the wins to account for. Meanwhile, Anthony Davis has been the only sustainable option on the defensive end and they are unable to keep the scoring down as their confidence has shattered after early inroads.

Russell Westbrook has been doing a great job of scoring the ball but his ball-handling has been questionable. The team lacks a consistent long-range shooter at any position and their horrible shooting has also impacted their defense. The Lakers need a spark here but it seems like it will take a lot for them to get there. Can the Lakers get anything going at all or will this be a repeat of last season all over again?

Injuries

• Clippers: OUT: John Wall, Kawhi Leonard;
• Lakers: OUT: Cole Swider, Dennis Schroeder, Thomas Bryant. QUESTIONABLE: Lonnie Walker IV. PROBABLE: LeBron James

Expert Betting Tips

The Lakers are unable to build any momentum and their offense has looked down and out. They respond poorly to pressure and once they are behind in a game, their play only keeps getting worse. The Clippers respond much better in comeback situations and as long as Paul George is playing, their confidence is sky-high. Looking at these dynamics, the Clippers seem to have an edge.

Anthony Davis has been playing incredibly well on the defensive end but he has been a lone warrior at this point. Russell Westbrook has been performing well but he will need to further the ante here. The Lakers need more out of Lonnie Walker who is up-and-down. I believe the Clippers defense will shut down the Lakers and bag home second win in a row. I believe the total points range will be 215-225.