NBA: Los Angeles Clippers vs Los Angeles Lakers Pick and Predictions 10/20/2022

Game: 10:00 PM ET, Thursday, October 20th

Venue:  Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, California

Where to Watch: TNT 

Clippers: 0-0, 42-40 last season.

Lakers: 0-1, 33-49 last season.

DraftKings:  Point Spread: Clippers -5.5, O/U 224

Don Best: Point Spread: Clippers -5.5; O/U 225

William Hill: Point Spread: Clippers -5; O/U 223.5

Clippers: PG Reggie Jackson, SG Paul George, SF Kahwi Leonard, PF Marcus Morris Sr, C Ivica Zubac

Lakers: PG Russell Westbrook, SG Patrick Beverley, SF Lonnie Walker III, PF LeBron James, C Anthony Davis

The late game in the TNT Thursday night matchup.  It should be a fun night of basketball… It is also a city rivalry for the heart of Los Angels.  The Lakers have owned Los Angeles for 40 years… easily… possibly more.  The Clippers have always been the uncoordinated little brother.  This year there is a change.  Vegas loves the Clippers!  NO one loves the Lakers… or the spoiled children who inherited and then imploded the team… or the silly GM who has signed an extension AFTER proving to be completely incapable of performing the job.  The Clippers need health.  The Lakers need an exorcism.  Let’s see what makes a better betting prediction?

The Los Angeles Clippers are easily the deepest team in the league if everyone stays healthy for most of the season.  Outside of the amazing starting five that has studs at every position… The Clippers also have SF Norman Powell, PG John Wall, SF Luke Kennard, PF Nicholas Batum, and C Robert Convington… If you add that noise to the starting five… The Clippers are really ten deep.  Then you see PG/SG Terrance Mann, and PF Amir Coffey.. And you realize that IF? Healthy the Clippers could be the best roster in the league.  Vegas thinks so.. That is why a future’s bet for the Clippers pays so little…. BUT the Clippers have so rarely been healthy that we are speaking in the abstract!  The best part of the Clippers roster is the past mistakes of the Lakers new regime since Papa Laker died.  C Ivica Zubac was a Laker… The Lakers called the Clippers and offered Ivica (whom they developed) for PF Mike Muscala to play with LeBron… I have no idea if Muscala is still in the league?  None?  He is not even worth a quick Google.  The Clippers love having a capable starting Center for less than league average starting center pay… They also love having the better roster knowing that the Laker have LeBron and AD.

The Los Angeles Lakers are operating under a deep dark cloud.  They will not consistently win until that cloud is cleared.  That Cloud is PG Russell Westbrook who is playing a game suited for 1998. There will be tense after game press conferences where LeBron calls out “a random idea” that will be meant for the Lakers management to trade Russell Westbrook, as he just did… But Russell will only get darker and less team friendly in the wake of such criticism.  The Lakers are waiting for this implosion. They believe they can get Myles Turner and Buddy Hield from the Pacers for Russell and two first round picks (which would mean 7 first round picks given up since acquiring LeBron)... Why are the Charlotte Hornets not undercutting this trade?... That is exactly what the Hornets need?  They could do it now?  The Lakers will be a uniform for LeBron to wear during his run for the all-time scoring title for a career… That is what they are right now.

 

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The Clippers finished last season 23rd in scoring with 108.4 points per game, 21st in Fg percentage with 45.8%, 3rd in 3-point percentage with 37.4 %, and 19th in offensive rebounds with 44 per game.  The Clippers were a different team last year because of the absence of ALL THREE of their best players… Paul George, Kahwi Leonard, and Norman Powell!  They will be different.

The Lakers finished last season 11th in points per game with 112.1, 8th in FG Percentage with 46.9%, 22nd in 3-point percentage with 34.7%, and 18th in offensive rebounds with 44 per game.  The offense was good,,,, the defense was Shiite!  

Our prediction for Thursday, October 20th is…. Clippers 123 - Lakers 105

Give Vegas the benefit of the doubt and go with the Clippers in this one.  If everything turns out terribly it will be because Kahwai and PG3 won’t be healthy… but any other way Vegas is right!

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The Clippers are 59-43 ATS against the Lakers since 1996.

The Clippers sare 3-0 ATS against the Lakers at the Lakers the last 3 seasons.

2 of 3 games have gone OVER the last 3 seasons.

Clippers: Kawhi Leonard.  The guy is either healthy and playing or not!  That is the future for this team.. They can survive 2 or 3 games without Kawhi, but they will need a big time Kawhiu season in order to be what we all already think they are.

Lakers:  Russell Westbrook.  The guy can play but he hates his team and his team hates him.  How long should he be expected to apologize for playing the most minutes last season and averaging 18, 7, and 7?  It is all stupid.

Clippers: Tyronne “can we be healthy?.. Please?” Lue

Lakers: Darvin “I’m a rookie again?” Ham