The Golden State Warriors (37-44) and Los Angeles Clippers (41-40) will meet in the NBA tonight. Tipoff is set for 8:30 p.m. ET from Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. The game will broadcast live on NBCS-BA.
The Clippers are 9-point favorites over the Warriors on the spread (Clippers -9), with the over/under set at 224.5 total points. Los Angeles is a -355 favorite to win outright on the moneyline, while Golden State is +280 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Warriors vs. Clippers predictions and NBA picks for Sunday, April 12.
Warriors vs Clippers Prediction, Pick
- Warriors vs Clippers pick: Clippers Team Total Under 116.5
My Clippers vs. Warriors best bet is on Los Angeles to stay under its team total. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live NBA odds page.
Warriors vs Clippers Odds
| Warriors Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+6.5 -105 | 226.5 -105o / -115u | +220 |
| Clippers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-6.5 -115 | 226.5 -105o / -115u | -270 |
Warriors vs Clippers NBA Preview
With the Warriors seeded 10th in the conference, you could easily argue that they have very little to play for in the regular-season finale vs. Los Angeles. After all, Golden State is 11 games above the Pelicans, who are 11th in the conference, and four games behind the Clippers.
If we turn to the Clippers, their situation isn't as straightforward, as they could potentially finish ahead of the Trail Blazers for the eighth seed. The only problem for Los Angeles is that it would need to beat Golden State and hope that Sacramento can pull off an unlikely upset over Portland, which is a 17-point favorite.
Portland does hold the tiebreaker advantage after winning three of the four meetings against Los Angeles.
You can almost be certain that someone on the Clippers' bench will be keeping a close eye on the scoreline of the Sacramento-Portland game. And if things aren't going the Clippers' way, it might not make much sense to keep their starters in and risk possible injury.
Furthermore, the Clippers would prefer to reveal as little of their game plan as possible against an opponent they could face again in the coming days.
The last time these teams met, Los Angeles defeated Golden State 114-101 in a game the Warriors were without their best player, Stephen Curry. In the two previous meetings with Curry on the floor, Golden State went 1-1, including a 98-79 victory.
Curry recently returned from a long injury spell that saw him miss more than two months and 27 straight games. With Curry in the lineup, Golden State went 24-18 and just 13-26 without him.
According to Statmuse, the Warriors have the third-best Offensive Rating (119.3) when Curry's on the court, but that number drops to 110.7 (26th) with him on the sidelines.
Considering Curry has played only three games since returning to action, he could certainly do with some extra reps under his belt to shake off the rust.
As a result, there's every chance the future Hall-of-Famer could play a key role in how the game unfolds on Sunday night.
Warriors vs Clippers Predictions, Betting Analysis
Given all the moving parts, it wouldn't surprise me if we saw more of a sloppier game between these two teams. Los Angeles could turn to its bench early on, possibly giving the Warriors a bit of an edge.
Moreover, if the Clippers do pull their starters earlier than expected, their offense could undoubtedly struggle.
Los Angeles already plays at the third-slowest pace, averaging 97.3 possessions per 48 minutes. Given the Clippers are currently laying 6.5 points after opening as nine-point favorites, this total of 226.5 feels a bit askew.
Therefore, this is a great spot to isolate the Clippers' team total and play it under 116.5.
With the total already on a 6-1 under run in the last seven head-to-head meetings, there's enough evidence to suggest that this Clippers' offense might find it a bit difficult to put up a big number on the scoreboard.
Pick: Clippers Team Total Under 116.5
