NBA Playoff Betting – (3) Clippers at (6) Spurs (Game 6)
Los Angeles Clippers at San Antonio Spurs (-5.5, 205.5 o/u)
The San Antonio Spurs (3-2, 1-1 home) have the chance to close out their best-of-seven series with the Los Angeles Clippers (2-3, 1-1 away) tonight and the defending champs will have the advantage of playing in front of a raucous crowd at the AT&T Center (9:30 PM Eastern).
After dropping the first game of the series in convincing fashion (107-92), San Antonio has responded with four wins in five games. Future Hall of Famer Tim Duncan has been tremendous, averaging 17.2 points, 10.8 rebounds, and over 54-percent shooting in the playoffs. Duncan’s performance has been crucial as the Spurs’ two other veteran playmakers, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, haven’t had the best of series.
Duncan’s play has been supplemented by strong performances from newly-named Defensive Player of the Year Kawhi Leonard along with the San Antonio bench. Leonard had 18 points and nine rebounds in a 111-107 road win in Game 5, while reserves Boris Diaw and Patty Mills both scored in double-figures.
The crucial win saw the Spurs cover as two-point road dogs and was just the latest in a long line of Game 5 triumphs for San Antonio.
The Spurs are sizable 5.5-point favorites to close out the series at home tonight, but the team isn’t taking anything for granted.
“They know they can win on the road,” Duncan said. “They’re going to try to knock us on our heels and attack. We know the aggression they’re going to come with.”
The Clippers, meanwhile, know the AT&T Center is going to be rocking.
“It’s tough, but the series isn’t over, and we can’t think like that,” said Blake Griffin. “It’s going to be a hostile environment in San Antonio.”
In the trends, the Clippers are just 4-21 SU in their last 25 on the road against San Antonio. But they were a solid 21-19 ATS on the road this year. I expect the desperate Clippers to at least keep it tight.
Pick: Clippers +5.5.
(Photo credit: Mike (Flickr: Spurs-Magic078) [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons. Photo may appear cropped.)
Zack is a tour guide whose favorite sports are football, baseball, and golf. He enjoys giving obnoxious commentary during games and hopes to some day write a book about sports. His favorite underdog victory was the Diamondbacks beating the Yankees in game 7 of the World Series.
