Celtics vs Clippers Picks and Odds

• The red-hot Clippers welcome Boston to the Staples Center on Friday night
• The C’s will be looking for a road win against an LA team that’s been unbeatable on home court
• Get the odds, preview, and best bet for this contest below

The Boston Celtics continue their five-game road trip on Friday, February 5th, as they take on the Los Angeles Clippers, tip-off 10pm ET.

The Celtics are coming off a disappointing loss to the Sacramento Kings, while LA destroyed the Cleveland Cavaliers by 22 points on Wednesday, thanks to Paul George’s team-leading 36 points.

This will be the first meeting between these two teams this season. As for last year, they both won a game apiece in a couple of overtime contests.

Celtics vs Clippers Odds

Odds taken Feb 4 at Fanduel

C’s Have Work Cut Out For Them

Boston hasn’t been playing all that great lately, going just 4-6 in their last 10 games. They’re barely above .500 at 11-9 and things won’t get any easier on Friday against the Clips.

On the second game of a back-to-back on Wednesday, the Celtics let a victory slip through their fingers against the Kings, losing 116-111. Even with an extremely shorthanded backcourt due to the absences of Kemba Walker, Payton Pritchard, and Marcus Smart, Boston should’ve done better. They shot 33% from downtown in this contest, while being simply outplayed by Sacramento’s De’Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton.

Tatum was solid, finishing just a rebound shy of a triple-double. Jaylen Brown also dropped 21, but his shooting woes continued, going just 2-for-10 from three-point range. Sure, there were several sloppy possessions that hurt the C’s in the fourth quarter, but the lack of production at point guard was one of the glaring issues.

Jeff Teague and Tremont Waters combined for just 10 points, which is certainly not even close to good enough. With Kemba, Pritchard, and Smart all out for this LA game, it’s going to be a daunting task ahead for Boston.

Despite falling to the Kings, 116-111, Brad Stevens was pleased with our overall effort. pic.twitter.com/KDXlMMNb3b

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) February 4, 2021

A big showing from Tatum and Brown paired with a strong defensive performance will be necessary to have any chance at a victory against Kawhi and the Clippers.

Clips Looking Like Contenders

Everything is clicking for Ty Lue’s team right now. LA has the best record in the Association and is shaping up to be a title contender. They’re 8-2 in their last 10 contests and have also lost just twice at the Staples Center this season.

Wednesday’s victory over the Cavs was a dominant performance, to say the least, with George and Leonard both showing out. The Clippers are the best three-point shooting team in the league, draining 42.9% of their attempts from long range. Against Cleveland, they were on absolute fire, shooting just under 60% from downtown.

Los Angeles is in the top five of eight different categories and continues to prove they’re one of the most efficient shooting teams in the NBA. The Clips are also the only organization to not lose two straight games this season.

Patrick Beverley remains out for LA with a knee injury, with Reggie Jackson slotting in beside PG in the backcourt. When Kawhi and George missed time last week, the Clippers’ bench actually fared relatively well, collecting a big comeback win over Miami.

But in the end, it comes down to the superstar duo. There hasn’t been any significant scorer aside from these two for Los Angeles, except for the odd big performance from Serge Ibaka or Nicolas Batum.

Lettin' it fly. 👌🏾

The team knocked down 20+ threes for the second time this season and the sixth time in franchise history. pic.twitter.com/5jNnJKaw9F

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) February 4, 2021

Lou Williams however, has struggled to find his offensive touch this season, averaging less than 10 per game. It will be important the former Sixth Man of the Year finds himself as the year goes on, especially if the Clips make a deep playoff run.

Best Bet

LA is one of the best two-way teams in the league and given their recent dominance, I don’t see them losing on Friday. They also cover the spread 60.9% of the time, which is third-best in the NBA.

I would usually call for a closer game between two high-profile squads. But, the Celtics are still dealing with a depleted backcourt, which is going to hurt them. The Clippers can shoot it from all over the court and without a reliable point guard, I could see LA going off here. They’re a safe bet to cover the six-point spread.

Pick: LA Clippers -6 (-110)