The Brooklyn Nets will face the LA Clippers on Sunday, January 21, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. This will be the second meeting between them this season, with the Clippers winning the first one 100-93 on November 8. Currently, the Nets are 11th in the Eastern Conference. They defeated the LA Lakers 130-112 in their last game on Friday. Cam Thomas led the team in points off the bench with 33 points. On the other hand, the Clippers are fourth in the West. They defeated OKC Thunder on Tuesday 128-117 at home. Paul George smashed three 3-pointers in the fourth quarter and finished with a game-high 38 points.
Preview
The Nets have struggled in 11 games, losing nine of them. Their offensive rating dropped from 115.9 to 111.4, while his defensive rating, 117.2, improved to 116.8. Mikal Bridges is playing well, averaging 21.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists. The Clippers continue to dominate after winning eight of their last 10 games. They are on a six-game home winning streak with a 120.4 offensive rating and 39.6% 3-point shooting, which is first in the league.
Starting lineup
The starting lineup of the Nets will include Spencer Dinwiddie, Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, Dorian Finney Smith and Nicolas Claxton. For the Clippers, the starting lineup will be James Harden, Terrence Mann, Paul George, Kawhi Leonard and Mason Plumlee.
Betting tips & Prediction
Kawhi Leonard is averaging 23.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game. Over the last five games, he has averaged a touch under his season high with 22 points and his point prop for the last game is set at an over/under 20.5 points. Given his recent performance, he is favored to surpass or equal it. Paul George is averaging 23.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. Over his last five games, he is averaging 29.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game. His props are set at 20.5 over/under points, so the expectations are favorable for him to exceed or meet this threshold based on recent performances.
Also Read: Ranking the Current Top Three-Point Shooters in the NBA
The Clippers are favorites to win this game at home. While the Clippers remain formidable, the Nets beat the Lakers on the road. The game is expected to be high-scoring as both teams will perform better on both offense and defense. Individual matchups can play a significant role in determining the outcome of a game, especially considering that the primary contributors for both teams are forwards.
