The Golden State Warriors (37-45, 10th in West) take on the Los Angeles Clippers (42-40, 9th in West) in the fourth game of the NBA Play-in Tournament. The team that wins will take on the Phoenix Suns, who lost at home to the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday.
The Warriors have dealt with injuries all year long, including a season-ending injury to Jimmy Butler. Stephen Curry was also limited to only 43 games. But he’s back now, which adds a fair bit of intrigue against Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers.
We’ll break down the Warriors vs. Clippers matchup here, highlighting why you shouldn’t buy into the Warriors’ hype in this NBA Play-in Tournament game.
Warriors vs Clippers Odds
All NBA odds used for these Warriors vs Clippers best bets are current as of Tuesday, April 14, and courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
- Moneyline: Warriors (+160) vs Clippers (-192)
- Spread: Warriors +4.5 (-102) vs Clippers -4.5 (-118)
- Over/Under: Over 220.5 (-110) / Under 220.5 (-110)
Warriors vs Clippers Prediction
Warriors vs Clippers Score Prediction: Clippers 105, Warriors 95
Since Curry returned to the lineup on April 5, the Warriors are 1-3, including losses against the Kings and Clippers, who played that game without Kawhi.
I know that it’s fun to speculate that a legendary player like Curry can put the team on his back for another postseason run, but that feels unlikely in this road matchup against the Clippers.
The Clippers have quietly played rock-solid basketball down the stretch. Since trading James Harden on February 4, Los Angeles is 19-13. Kawhi had a terrific season, averaging 27.9 points per game while shooting over 50 percent from the field.
This team was much better at home (23-18) than on the road (19-22), while the Warriors were abysmal on the road (15-26) compared to at home (22-19). Home-court advantage is likely to play a major role in the outcome of this game.
Warriors vs Clippers Best Bets
Clippers -4.5 (-118) vs Warriors
The Warriors are likely to be favored by the public here, which is why the line dropped from 5.5 to 4.5. Bettors can’t help themselves, taking a chance on Curry plus the points. I totally understand the logic there, but I’m riding with the Clippers.
As mentioned above, the Clips have been playing well without Harden, while establishing themselves as a tough team to beat at home. Kawhi is carrying this team.
Curry is back, but he’s been on a minutes restriction. There’s a chance that he won’t be at top form for this game. With that in mind, I’ll ride with the Clippers as one of my best NBA bets today.
Clippers -9.5 (+162) vs Warriors
I’ll also take my chances with the alternate line on the Clippers here.
Remember that Kawhi missed 17 games this year. Los Angeles is better than its 42-40 record.
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The Warriors are pretty thin behind Curry, especially with him coming back from such an extended absence.
I’ll sprinkle a little less on the Clippers to win by 10+ points while focusing a larger portion on Clippers -4.5. Essentially, I’m doubling down on a Clippers comfortable victory here.
