Clippers Lose to Memphis 106-102 for First Home Loss
The Memphis Grizzlies have become a thorn in the side of the Los Angeles Clippers. Last season, the Grizzlies ran off four straight wins to eliminate the Clippers in the playoffs in six games. Now, they have gone to Los Angeles and handed the home team their first loss of the season in the Staples Center (at least when their fans are in the seats).
Mike Conley and Marc Gasol took over for the 6-5 Grizzlies. Gasol had 23 points and nine rebounds along with eight assists and Conley had 15 points, eight in a four minute stretch of the fourth quarter. All was not well though as Tony Allen was ejected early in the game for kicking the Clippers star point guard Chris Paul. He will be suspended for one game as well. Blake Griffin had 23 points and 11 rebounds for the Clippers while Paul had 18 points and 11 assists.
The Clippers dropped to 7-4 on the season and fell one game behind the Golden State Warriors, the Grizzlies next opponent, in the Pacific Division. Perhaps Memphis can do the Clippers a favor now. Memphis is 3.5 games out in the very tough Southwest Division behind the San Antonio Spurs who are 9-1. They also trail the 8-4 Houston Rockets and the 7-4 Dallas Mavericks.
Los Angeles will now go on the road for their next two games. They have a tough back to back on Wednesday and Thursday against the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Oklahoma City Thunder, both of whom are above .500. Both of these also feel they owe the Clippers some payback. This is a big two-game road trip for L.A. They need to get a split here or they will drop to 7-6 and be on a three-game skid.
Carbon Sports has the lines on Wednesday’s action:
Clippers at T-Wolves– Clippers are +1 -110 and the Wolves are -1 -110 ATS. Over/Under is 13 with over and under both -110. We like the Clippers to get this one because they need to avoid going to OKC on a two game losing streak. The Wolves have also been scuffling a bit after their red hot start.
Rockets at Mavericks– Rockets are +5.5 -110 and the Mavs are -3.5 -110 ATS. O/U is 214.5 with both -110. We like the road team in this one as well. The Rockets are beginning to discover how good they really are. In games where they are not playing a team from Los Angeles, they are 8-1 this year. no L. A. team here.
Celtics at Spurs– Boston is +14 -110 and the Spurs are -14 -110 ATS. O/U is 193.5. Again we like the road team here. The Celtics are getting better all the time under first year coach Brad Stevens. We think they can stay within 14 of the Spurs.
Jazz at Pelicans– Utah visits the franchise’s old stomping grounds (for those of you who wonder why a team from Utah is called the Jazz). They are +10.5 -110 as the Pelicans are -10.5 -110 ATS. O/U is 193.5. How did Utah get to be this bad? Are they trying to land Julius Randle or Andrew Wiggins in the draft? That wouldn’t be a bad strategy. But again we are going with the away team which is normally not a good strategy in basketball. But we don’t like giving up 10.5 to take the Pelicans.
