In what could possibly be an NBA Finals preview, the much-trumpeted Brooklyn Nets triumvirate of Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving host the Los Angeles Clippers in NBA betting action tonight.
The new-look Nets have been historic on both sides of the ball, and are, understandably, the talk of the NBA right now, from high-level debates to bottom-scraping Reddit trolls.
NBA odds see a very tight game in store tonight, so let's break down our best Clippers vs. Nets picks and predictions for Tuesday, February 2.
Los Angeles Clippers at Brooklyn Nets Betting Preview
Injuries
Clippers: Patrick Beverley G (Out), Nicolas Batum F (Questionable).
Nets: Iman Shumpert G (Questionable).
Find our latest NBA injury reports.
Betting Trend to Know
The Over is 15-1 in Nets' last 16 games. Find more NBA betting trends for Clippers vs. Nets.
NBA Sharp Money and Line Movement Report
By Patrick EversonBrooklyn opened -1 and went to -1.5 early this morning at FanDuel, then the line jumped the fence to Los Angeles -1.5, which is where the number is as of 4:30 p.m. ET. Point-spread ticket count is running dead even and the Clippers are attracting 59 percent of the money. The total dropped from 243.5 to 241.5, then rebounded to 242.5, with ticket count 2/1 and money 3/1 on the Over.
Check out the full line movement for this gameAgainst the Spread (ATS) Pick
Brooklyn is a tough team to peg right now. Yes, it has a collection of one-on-one scorers that is absolutely unparalleled in the history of basketball, but its squad has been reduced to pylons on defense, seemingly content to just out-score teams (remember that Steve Nash is their head coach). And while the Nets' initial ostensible post-Harden-trade depth concerns may have been slightly overblown, their new Big 3 will surely take time to coalesce.
Meanwhile, the Clippers have quietly amassed the NBA's best record at 16-5, and are 9-1 SU and 7-3 ATS in their last ten. Kawhi Leonard is Kawhi Leonard, arguably the league's most consistent superstar not named LeBron James, and Paul George has fully shaken his bubble yips and is heavily outpacing last year's regular-season output.
Not having Patrick Beverley to hound Kyrie will kind of hurt the Clippers, but the fact remains that they can throw two elite defenders on Harden and Durant, with a capable big flanking the paint in Serge Ibaka. That's something the Nets won't be able to even come close to reciprocating.
The Clippers are playing like they know they have something to prove, while the Nets are still very much figuring things out. They'll find an equilibrium, but taking them to do it on a dime against what could be the NBA's best team right now is asking a lot.
PREDICTION: Los Angeles -1.5 (-110)
Over/Under Pick
This one will be quick and painless: Hammering the Nets Over is as automatic a pick as exists anywhere in sports betting right now. They're riding a seems-like-a-typo 15-1 Over streak.
Per StatMuse, the Nets have recorded what would be both the best offensive rating ever (122.6) and the worst defensive rating ever (119.9) since the Harden trade, making for a perfect Over recipe. The icing: They also play at the league's second-fastest pace.
The total's high, but Brooklyn tallied an obscene 295 points in regulation against an Over/Under of 245 their last time out. Be not afraid.
PREDICTION: Over 242.5 (-110)
Player Prop Pick
Given the anticipated plotline above, it would make sense to target either Over Leonard or George's point total for this game, and we're leaning George, for a couple reasons.
The first is math. Kawhi's total of 27.5 is a full three points higher than PG's (24.5). And while Kawhi technically averages 2.3 more points per game, those slim margins are liable to be lost between 1A and 1B options in the high-scoring shootout we're likely to witness tonight.
But second, and more importantly, will be matchups on D. It's extremely likely that Durant will default to Kawhi on D, leaving the next man up to handle George. When engaged, Durant is by far the most competent defender on the Nets roster, and he absolutely has been on Twitter and seen all the shit being talked about his team's leaky defense.
Knowing he can afford to, we wouldn't be shocked to see Durant exert a little extra effort defensively, making PG the better option to pick on whatever non-Durant defender is left to check him.
PREDICTION: Paul George Over 24.5 points (-110)
Clippers vs Nets Betting Card
- Los Angeles -1.5 (-110)
- Over 242.5 (-110)
- Paul George Over 24.5 points (-110)
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