Clippers vs Thunder Picks & Odds (Oct. 27)
- The Clippers and Thunder meet for the second time in three days on Thursday
- LA is a 7-point road favorite here
- Keep reading for the odds, preview, and Clippers vs Thunder prediction
The Kawhi Leonard-less Los Angeles Clippers (2-2, 1-1 away) will face the Oklahoma City Thunder (1-3, 0-1 home) once again on Thursday evening for the second game between the two teams this week. The tip-off is scheduled for 8:00 pm ET at the Paycom Center.
The Thunder beat the Clips 108-94 on Tuesday, with both Kawhi and Paul George sidelined for that contest. Leonard is out here with stiffness in his knee, while PG is questionable due to an illness. The absence of the two stars certainly hurt LA.
Clippers vs Thunder Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Clippers | -7 (-110) | -290 | TBD |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | +7 (-110) | +235 | TBD |
Odds as of October 26th at FanDuel Sportsbook. Claim this week’s FanDuel Sportsbook promo code.
The Clippers are a 7-point road favorite with -290 moneyline odds. The Thunder come back at +235 odds. The Clips went 2-1 against OKC in 2021-22.
Can Kawhi Stay Healthy?
The Clippers are one of the frontrunners in the NBA championship odds. A big reason for that is the return of Kawhi, who has been coming off the bench as Ty Lue eases him back into game action after missing all of last season with an ACL tear. However, we’re just four contests into the campaign and Leonard is already on the shelf with knee stiffness.
Paul George is QUESTIONABLE tomorrow vs. the Thunder.
Kawhi Leonard is listed as OUT due to right knee injury management for the Clippers. Marcus Morris is OUT as well.
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) October 26, 2022
The LA star didn’t even travel with the team on this road trip to OKC and will hopefully play on Sunday against the Pelicans. But, it’s certainly concerning that he’s already missing time with an issue in that same right knee. Without PG as well on Tuesday, the Clips really struggled offensively.
Luke Kennard’s 15 points off the bench were a team-high, with only three others collecting 10 or more points. From shooting just 32% from downtown to getting cooked in transition, Los Angeles did not look good. They also committed 18 turnovers that translated into 23 points for Oklahoma City.
The Clippers have a strong roster and must learn to step up when their star duo isn’t on the floor. Losing by such a significant margin to a rebuilding squad like the Thunder is unacceptable.
Can Shai Lead the Way Again?
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had an absolute night on Tuesday against the team that drafted him, balling out for 33 points, eight assists, and five rebounds, ripping apart the Clips’ defense. Backcourt mate Tre Mann, who was filling in for the injured Josh Giddey, also poured in 25. Giddey is still out with an ankle sprain, therefore Mann should get another start on Thursday.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander went OFF tonight in the OKC win.
33 PTS, 5 REB, 8 AST, 3 STL, 3 BLK
Tough statline 💪 #KiaTipOff22 pic.twitter.com/3zODD9E6kz
— NBA (@NBA) October 26, 2022
While OKC shot a measly 13% from three-point land, they were dominant on the glass, outrebounding Los Angeles 60-47 overall and 21-7 on offensive boards. Mark Daigneault’s group also outscored the Clippers 62-48 in the paint, 17-9 on the fastbreak, and 26-12 on second-chance points. Moral of the story? The Thunder clearly wanted it more and locked it down defensively.
Total team effort.
Watch more highlights from last night's win 🎥 | https://t.co/EhMGguCixc pic.twitter.com/Qx295jbYkB
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) October 26, 2022
With no Kawhi and potentially PG out as well, this is another opportunity for SGA and Co. to grab a big win at home. It’ll also be interesting to see if Mann can show out again. He could prove to be a very solid piece for this team off the bench when Giddey returns.
Clippers vs Thunder Prediction
Even if George does play here, I’m still liking the Thunder against the spread. SGA is on a torrid run right now and OKC looked really solid the other night. At +7, this is a great pick. If they don’t win, it’ll be close. If you need more evidence, Oklahoma City is 3-1 ATS this season. Lock it in.
Pick: Thunder +7 (-110)
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Quinn Allen is a sports journalist, with a background and education in broadcast journalism (BCIT '17). He is a full-time associate editor at ClutchPoints by day, where he writes about soccer, baseball, basketball, football, and more. At night, Quinn is a frequent contributor at SBD.
