NBA: Boston Celtics VS Los Angeles Clippers Pick and Predictions 12/12/2022

Game: 10:30 PM ET,  Monday, December 12th, 2022

Venue: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, California

TV:  NBA TV

Celtics: 21-6, 1st place Eastern Conference

Clippers: 15-13, 7th place Western Conference

BetMGM:  Point Spread: Celtics -4.5, O/U 224.5

PointsBet: Point Spread: Celtics -3.5, O/U 224.5

Fanduel: Point Spread: Celtics -3.5, O/U 224.5

Celtics: SF Jayson Tatum, PF Grant Williams, C Blake Griffin, SG Jaylen Brown, PG Marcus Smart

Clippers: PF Marcus Morris JR, SF Paul George, C Ivica Zubac, SG Kawhi Leonard, PG John Wall

An NBA absolute battle of East VS West.  The Vegas preseason favorites for the NBA FInals were the Celtics and the Clippers.  Both squads have stacked rosters.. Both squads have multiple all-stars.  One squad happens to be doing better than the other in the standings… but both are consistently showing that with good health at the end of the season… They could be holding the trophy.  The Boston Celtics are a winning machine.  They have drafted and grown a trio of all-star 2-way players SF Jayson Tatum, SG Jalen Brown, and PG Marcus Smart… yes Marcus is and should be an all-star.  Three seasons ago the best thing that could ever happen to this group happened… PG Kyrie Irving left unceremoniously in Free Agency to join the Brooklyn Nets!  That was a blessing no one could have imagined!  It gave the group of young Celtics room to grow as good teammates, good citizens, good defensive players… free from drama and hysterics!  The coaching staff tried to throw them drama but it was quickly put behind them.  These guys win basketball games with the help of some strong veteran big men and a capable bench.  To think that they are still missing C Robert Williams III and won’t have PF Danillo Gallinari because of injury is shocking. The current hardship is C Al Horford will miss some games for back pain and the league’s health and safety protocols.  That could be a very big deal… but the rest of the team is shockingly good enough to get by until any big man returns.  The Los Angeles Clippers are coasting into the middle of the pack in the Western Conference… Just like the last few seasons, the injury bug has killed them.  This time it seems to be killing them early instead of late.  That is a positive thing… The trio of SF Paul George, SG Kawhi Leonard, SF/SG Norman Powell has never really been healthy and dressed at the same time… when they are.. They will have 3 amazing scorers on the floor at the same time for the first time in a long time.  That group gets the benefit of C Ivica Zubac who averages a double double and provides incredible stability for the team. Plus this team is VERY deep when they have the full complement of shooter Luke Kennard, PG John Wall, PF Nicolas Batum, super sub Terance Mann… etc etc.  This team is a powder keg.  If they ever get a chance to all be there at the same time?... They could be the silent but deadly killer for everyone else.  They are the overlooked viper in the grass.

The Boston Celtics snapped a 3-game winning streak by losing their last game to the Golden  State Warriors 123-107.  The loss was also a loss ATS, of course.  They overall have won 8 of their last 10 games going 8-2 ATS over their last 8 games.  There is a trend here… the Celtics are always favorites and mostly win everything. During the first five games of the ten game stretch they went 5-0 and 5-0 ATS covering -5.5, -7.5, -7.5, -11, and -9.5.  This team wins and covers pretty reliably. In the loss to Golden State the Celtics were playing without C Al Horford which will hold them back until either he returns or C Robert Williams III makes his 2022-23 debut. In the loss SG Jaylen Brown scored 31 points with 9 rebounds and 3 assists… but team star (and legit MVP candidate) SF Jayson Tatum had a bad shooting night and only scratched 18, 7, 2 on 6 of 21 shots from the field.  Veteran PF Blake Griffin was dragged into the starting Center spot and played admirably with 13, 7, 1 in 20 minutes…. This team can play better but without a true big man will HAVE TO shoot better for sure.

The Los Angeles Clippers are only winners of 4 of their last 10 games… It is a testament to how awkwardly the West is playing this season that the Clips were able to hold on to 7th place. They won their last game over the Washington Wizards 114-107.. Which was also a win ATS.  In the game the Clippers BEST PLAYER SF Paul George scored 36 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocked shots.  He seemed unstoppable… If he shot a better percentage from the field (13 of 27) it would have been an amazing statline… instead it was just enough. 5 other Clippers scored in double figures… and that is how a team gets a win as a group.  SG Kawhi Leonard should be playing 6th man for this team… he simply does not have a reliable bill of health enough to keep the starting lineup waiting and not getting a real rhythm.  Kawhi’s numbers over the last ten games average at 11.6 points, 5.1 rbs, 3.5 asts in 25 minutes… That is the 6th man… nothing more… Plus if they play him off the bench he would get a chance to feast on bench players.

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BOS: 21-6, 17-10 ATS, 14-12-1 O/U, 10-4 in road games.

LAC: 15-13, 13-15 ATS, 11-17 O/U, 7-6 in home games.

The Celtics are 1st in scoring with 120.3 points per game, 22nd in rebounds with 42.7 per game, 2nd in AST/TO ratio with 2.0, and 12th in blocks per game 5.0.

The Clippers are 30th in scoring with 107.7 points per game, 12th in rebounds with 43.8 per game, 28th in AST/TO ratio with 1.5, and 14th in blocked shots with 4.9 per game.

Our prediction for Monday, December 12th is…. Clippers 121 - Celtics 117

Bet on the Clippers.  The Celtics are reeling from the loss of Al Horford and the not yet debut of Robert Williams III… PLus for the Celtics C Blake Griffin will have to go back into the arena where he was a megastar PF and display his role player status.. It will be tough for him.  I still expect the crowd to cheer for him like Princess Diana standing next to Charles (the man put the Clippers on the map).

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Boston is 3-1 ATS versus the Clippers the last 3 seasons.

Boston is 10 Over and 3 Under when the total is 220 - 229.5 this season.

Celtics:  SF Jayson Tatum.  Jayson is the best player on the best team in the league… By default this makes him an MVP candidate.  He will need a few more big games to be mentioned seriously however when the talking heads start yakking.  He can do it… just as he has been doing it.  This game is a trap for his numbers as he will often run into Clippers forward Paul George… one of the best wing defenders in the game… Period.  An MVP would still score over George… a runner up would wilt under the pressure.

Clippers:  PF Marcus Morris SR.  Marcus is a solid NBA PF that has had some big seasons.  He (and his twin brother Markieff) have transitioned from young building blocks to veteran role players. I quietly hope that Markieff will get fully healthy and we will get to see these two play side by side somewhere before they both retire (Indiana would be a really nice place to do that considering their amazing young guard rotation). For now we watch Marcus to see how much pop he can add to the Clippers starting lineup.  He was the 2nd best player in the Clippers last win with 19, 6, 6… stats that he can easily surpass against the Celtics who are missing several big men.

Celtics: Joe “I got this job” Mazzula

Clippers: Tye “Thankfully I passed on the Lakers” Lue