The Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers will square off in a marquee matchup on Sunday afternoon. The game will be broadcasted nationally, with both teams jockeying for playoff positioning in the Western Conference. The Clippers won the first two meetings between the teams this season, though the Lakers own the edge in the overall NBA standings. On the injury front, the Lakers will be paying close attention to Anthony Davis' status, with the big man listed as probable with an elbow ailment.
Tip-off is at 3:30 p.m. ET at the Staples Center. Sportsbooks list the Clippers as 2.5-point favorites, while the over-under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 225.5 in the latest Lakers vs. Clippers odds. Before you make any Clippers vs. Lakers picks or NBA predictions, see what SportsLine's advanced computer model has to say.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times, and it's already returned almost $4,000 in profit on all top-rated NBA picks during the 2019-20 season. It also entered Week 20 a blistering 49-31 on all top-rated NBA spread picks this season. Anybody who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Lakers vs. Clippers. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA betting lines and trends for Clippers vs. Lakers:
- Lakers vs. Clippers spread: Clippers -2.5
- Lakers vs. Clippers over-under: 225.5 points
- Lakers vs. Clippers money line: Clippers -137, Lakers +116
- LAL: The Lakers are 5-1 against the spread in their last six games
- LAC: The Clippers are 5-1 against the spread in their last six games
Why the Lakers can cover
The model knows that the Lakers are a tremendous team on both sides of the floor, ranking in the top six of the NBA in both offensive and defensive efficiency. Offensively, the Lakers rank in the top-five in effective field goal percentage, illustrating their efficient shooting, and they are an excellent offensive rebounding team, securing 27 percent of their own misses. The Lakers do have some turnover issues but, against a Clippers team that forces a giveaway on only 14 percent of possessions, those problems are mitigated to some degree.
On the defensive end, the Lakers are tremendous, with top-six marks in shooting efficiency allowed and turnover creation. The Lakers should also be able to hold up on the defensive glass, where they've secured 75 percent of opponent's missed shots this season.
Why the Clippers can cover
The model has also taken into account that the Clippers are a potent team, headlined by elite defensive potential and shotmaking. Doc Rivers' team ranks in the top five of the NBA in overall offensive efficiency, using the league's best free throw rate to juice their overall output. The Lakers struggle to keep opponents away from the free throw line, and the Clippers should be able to live at the charity stripe. Offensive rebounding is also a strength for the Clippers, with a 27 percent rate, and that should persist even against a quality defensive rebounding team in the Lakers.
Defensively, the Clippers are tenacious and active, leading to the NBA's No. 2 mark in effective field goal percentage allowed this season. Overall, the Clippers are an elite defensive team and they are even better at full strength, with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George serving as two-way forces.
How to make Lakers vs. Clippers picks
SportsLine's model is leaning over on the total, with both Avery Bradley and Marcus Morris projected to outperform their scoring averages. The model also says one side of the spread hits in well over 50 percent of simulations. You can only see that pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Clippers vs. Lakers? And which side of the spread hits in well over 50 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the Lakers vs. Clippers spread you need to jump on Sunday, all from the model on a 49-31 roll on NBA picks, and find out.
