Spurs Top Clippers 113-103 on Tuesday Night
The Clippers need to get better than they played last night
The Los Angeles Clippers did not get off to a good post All-Star game start as they lost at home to the San Antonio Spurs who were without their star point guard Tony Parker at Staples Center 113-103. Patrick Mills led the spurs with 25 points and Marco Bellinelli added 20 for the Spurs who improved to 39-15 on the season. The Clippers were led by Blake Griffin with 35 points and Jamal Crawford with 25 as they fell to 37-19.
The Spurs extended their Southwest Division lead to 2.5 games over the Houston Rockets as the Clippers lead over the Phoenix Suns fell to 4.0 games in the Pacific Division, two games in the all important loss column. The Golden State Warriors are 4.5 back.
The Suns got a big overtime win over the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday, 112-107 in overtime. Gerald Green exploded for 36 points to lead the Suns who improved to a surprising 31-21 record. Not too many NBA experts would have predicted this at the season’s beginning. The Nuggets, who were expected to be a playoff team this season, fell to 24-28. they were led by Evan Fournier with 25 points and Kenneth Faried with 21.
The Suns will host the Boston Celtics on Wednesday. Boston is a rebuilding team who hope to emulate what the Suns have done this season in future years. They are 19-35 as they have gone on a youth movement which even includes their coach Brad Stevens.
The Warriors will visit the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday. The Kings are their usual terrible selves, but at least they aren’t moving to Seattle. They are fighting the Los Angeles Lakers to stay out of the Pacific Division basement at 18-35. The Warriors are in a bit of a funk of late only winning eight of their last 16 games. Tonight they can get their post all-Star break off on the right foot.
Speaking of the Lakers, they will be visited by Dwight Howard and the Rockets tonight at Staples. The center who was with the Lakers a year ago will likely get showered with boos after spurning the team in free agency. Things have really gone downhill for the Lakers since then.
Top Bet has odds on Wednesday’s Pacific Division games:
Boston at Phoenix– The Celtics are +7 -110 and the Suns are -7 -110 ATS. Moneyline is Boston +250 and Phoenix -300. We like the Suns -8 -110 to cover in this one.
Golden State at Sacramento- the Warriors are -5 -110 and the Kings are +5 -110 ATS. Moneyline is Golden State -200 and Sacramento +170. We like the Kings +170 in this one for the upset.
Houston at L.A.Lakers– The Rockets are -8.5 -110 and the Lakers are +8.5 -110 ATS. Moneyline is Houston -400 and the Lakers +320. We like the Rockets -8.5 -110 in this one. Howard will come in motivated, perhaps to Staples for the first time.
