Celtics vs Clippers Betting Analysis: Boston Look to Respond on the Road

League Leading Celtics Head to LA

The Boston Celtics will look to bounce back from a disappointing showing in their NBA Finals rematch as they head to LA to take on the Clippers. Let’s dive into our Celtics vs Clippers Betting Analysis to see how these teams stack up.

Despite that loss at Golden State the Celtics are still comfortably the best team in the league right now and remain the most efficient offense in the league. Their improving defense is a good sign for a team that is looking to welcome back Robert Williams to their rotations in the coming days, with last seasons Defensive Player of the Year candidate currently listed as day-to-day.

Meanwhile, the Clippers are hoping they can find some consistency in their lineups and results as they continue to ramp up the minutes for All-Star dup Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. Both have played at least 30 minutes in their last two outings and their return has coincided with some better Clipper basketball on the whole.

The markets for this game opened with Boston as 3.0-point favorites. That number was quickly bet up to 3.5 and the total has been set at 226.0 points.

Tatum Looking to Lead Response

Jayson Tatum had an off night against the Warriors as he failed to shake off his NBA Finals demons. The MVP frontrunner made it clear that he wouldn’t harp on those efforts as they prepare for their LA double-header to round off their west coast stay.

“I missed a lot of layups, missed some open threes, things like that. So, you know, there’s nobody to blame,” said Tatum after the game.

“I gotta be better to help the team win. So, you know, it’s not anything on the coach’s or anything like that.”

Tatum still ranks among the league-leaders this season in scoring, averaging 30.0 points while shooting 47.2% from the field. How he matches up with the elite wing duo of George and Leonard could ultimately be what dictates the outcome of this game.

That said he won’t be short of help either, with Jaylen Brown’s continued ascension this season starting to shine bright. Brown had 31 points and 9 rebounds in that loss to the Warriors, with the Celtics wing now averaging 29.6 points per game in his last nine appearances.

George, Leonard Continue Making Progress

Clippers coach Ty Lue has made it clear that the progress of George and Leonard is what matters most right now to ensure his duo are hitting their strides when it matters most.

Leonard’s progress has been promising after a less than convincing return to start the year. He has now played 30 minutes in his last two outings and his longer stints to open games are a promising sign that he’s beginning to find his feet once more.

The Clippers are 2-1 in the three games Leonard has featured in since his return, with the OT loss to Orlando seeing both him and George sit on the bench after they reached their minutes restriction. Leonard also hit the game winner in the teams win at Charlotte.

It’s hard to analyze LA’s performances to date given the impact that George and Leonard have on the team and the way they execute at both ends. What we have seen since their return however is a much bigger emphasis on creating and taking shots from beyond the arc.

Opposing defenses have to respect the midrange game of the Clippers superstars, but also need to show help when they drive to the basket.

Over the past week the team is 4th in 3-point frequency and 4th in 3-point accuracy to match. Opposing defenses have to respect the midrange game of the Clippers superstars, but they also need to help each other out when they drive to the basket – such as creating plenty of open looks for the likes of Reggie Jackson, Marcus Morris and Luke Kennard to get the high quality shots the team wants.

Looking at how both teams are creating shots from deep it’s easy to see why this total is set so high, even with the projected pace set to be below league average. We anticipate points in this one and like the Over as the NBA betting lines offer in this one.

That’s all for our Celtics vs Clippers Betting Analysis. Be sure to check back for nba injuries and more NBA content.
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