Portland Trail Blazers vs LA Clippers Prediction & Betting Tips - NBA

Prediction published on 22/03/2024, 07:39  by Kennedy Kechula | Modified on 22/03/2024 at 14:00 in NBA Prediction

The Portland Trail Blazers will be at home again against the LA Clippers to close out their NBA regular season series. More than 20 games separate the two in the Western Conference with the fourth-placed Clippers having the advantage over the 14th-placed Blazers. The Blazers will be out to avoid a clean sweep in this series as they also seek to get back to winning ways. Chauncey Billups’ men hosted the Clippers last time out and lost 116-103. Their fourth successive defeat was also their third this season against the Clippers. Portland, who have compiled a 19-50 record, have already been eliminated from playoff contention. Malcolm Brogdon and Shaedon Sharpe remain sidelined with injuries. Anfernee Simons, Jerami Grant, and Matisse Thybulle are questionable for this game. Simons, who has struggled with his fitness all season, managed 14 points against the Clippers last time out. The Blazers have averaged 105.7 points over their last three matches.

The Clippers are seeking to cement their place in the top four in the West. They are currently 1.5 games clear of their closest challengers for fourth place. Ty Lue’s men have won 43 games and have 14 matches left to play to conclude the regular season. They have struggled with a lack of consistency lately. The Clippers have managed just eight wins from their last 17 outings. At one point they had assumed top spot in the West but they have since dropped five games off the pace. Before the recent win over the Blazers, LA had managed just one win in five outings. Norman Powell and Terrance Mann are questionable for this game while Russell Westbrook remains out injured. The Clippers have averaged 104.3 points over their last three matches which is a big dip from their 116.5 points average for the season.