Everyone knew the Western Conference would be crowded this season, but no one could have predicted the teams that are near the top at this point in the year. Two of those teams will meet on Sunday night in Portland.
At 12-6, the Clippers have shocked everyone by getting off to a fantastic start, one that has them in second place in the West more than a month into the season. Just a half game behind them at 12-7 sits the Trail Blazers, who have fallen a bit in the standings due to a current two-game losing streak.
How to watch Clippers at Trail Blazers
- Date: Sunday, Nov. 25
- Time: 9 p.m. ET
- Location: Moda Center -- Portland, Oregon
- Streaming: fuboTV (free trial - NBA League Pass add-on available)
- Live stats: GameTracker
- Odds: Trail Blazers -4.5
Odds and analysis
Check Sportsline's NBA pick sheet for all your daily odds.
Storylines
Clippers: After a solid 4-4 start, the Clippers have been incredible over the past few weeks. They're 8-2 in their last 10 games, with wins over the Warriors, Bucks and Grizzlies. That strong stretch has them up to second place in the West, just half a game behind the Warriors for the top spot. Tobias Harris has led the way, putting up another strong season under the radar. But the health of Danilo Gallinari and the much-improved play of Montrezl Harrell have also been vital in their success.
Trail Blazers: It's been a strong start to the season for the Trail Blazers, but their last two games have been quite disappointing. Sure, they have played the Bucks and Warriors, two of the league's best, but they've lost those games by a combined 71 points. The good news for them heading into Sunday night's contest with the Clippers though, is that they'll finally be back at home -- where they're 7-2 this season -- after a lengthy six-game road trip.
Game prediction, pick
The Clippers are hot and the Blazers are not. But we're still going to go with the Blazers to cover. They're 7-2 at home this season, while the Clippers are just 4-5 on the road. Plus, the Blazers should be extra motivated to get back on track after two brutal defeats.
