NBA: Los Angeles Clippers VS Detroit Pistons Pick and Predictions 12/26/2022

Game: 7:10 PM ET,  Monday, December 26th, 2022

Venue: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Michigan

TV:  NBA League Pass

Clippers: 19-15, 5th place Western Conference

Pistons: 8-27, 15th place (last) Eastern Conference

BetMGM:  Point Spread: Clippers -5.5, O/U 224.5 

PointsBet: Point Spread: Clippers -6, O/U 224.5

Fanduel: Point Spread: Clippers -6, O/U 224.5

Clippers: SF Kawhi Leonard, PF Marcus Morris Sr, C Ivica Zubac, PG Reggie Jackson, SG Pasul George

Pistons: PF Isaiah Stewart, SF Bojan Bogdanovic, C Jalen Duren, PG Killian Hayes, SG Jaden Ivey

An NBA West VS East matchup that features one team that is slowly climbing to the top and another team that is permanently mired at the bottom.  The Los Angeles Clippers started the season soft.  Their first two months were punctuated by injury absences and wobbly play.  Since then, The Clippers have been winning.  They have been experiencing the type of health and availability that allows them to use their solid depth at every position to their advantage.  The big addition is of course Kwhi Leonard has been healthy enough to play a long stretch (for him) of games this month.  The result is winning. The Clips have everyone available except John Wall who is only dinged with a slight ankle injury.  That is a big thing for them… they will not stay that way… but at the moment they have one of the best rosters in the league.  The Detroit Pistons are the last place team and will be all season.  They like it there.  Afterall the prize for winning this season’s NBA draft lottery will be 7’4 Center and french teenager Victor Wembanyama… He is looking every bit like his comp of ½ Kevin Durant and Kevin Garnett.  Victor will be a game changer on both ends of the floor for whichever team lands him.  The Pistons only goal this season is to be that team!  The Great Betting Opportunity here is not in who will win?... But where the Spread will land?... That is it.  The Clippers will win… so let’s check the numbers and make a call on the LARGE spread.

The Los Angeles Clippers lost their last game but have won 6 of their last ten games.  They lost to the Philadelphia 76ers 119-114.  In that game SF Kawhi Leonatd had 28 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists.  A fantastic, yet wasted statline.  SG Paul George added 22 points… with SF/SG Norman Powell adding 21 points off the bench.  This trio was what the Clippers imagined all getting a reliable 20+ points per game from each player.  This is the Clippers Big Three.  It was also among the first very few times all three had played together in the 9 months since they have all been teammates.  The predictable happened… The role players that have carried this team for the last couple of years were unfortunately sidelined a bit too much. Forward/Guard Terrance Mann only played 12 ½ minutes… he is a hustle guy that needs to be on the floor for 20 minutes a night. Kennard, Zubac, and Jackson were all uncharacteristically uninvolved for a long stretch.  C Ivica Zubac pulled down 12 rebounds but had very very few shot attempts and walked away with just 7 points.   If the sudden health of the Clippers maintained… Head Coach Tye Lue will have to find a rotation that speaks more to the team concept.

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The Clippers are 30th in scoring with 107.8 points per game, 9th in rebounds with 44.3 per game, 28th in AST/TO ratio with 1.5, and 14th in blocked shots with 4.9 per game.

The Pistons are 26th in scoring with 110.6 points per game, 17th in rebounds with 42.9 per game, 27th in AST/TO ratio with 1.5, and 28th in blocks per game with 3.6.

Our prediction for Monday, December 26th is…. Clippers 125 - Pistons 114

Bet on the Clippers.  They will role the Pistons because of their superior depth and their superior stars.  The Pistons are empty in both aspects at the moment.  Look for a large spread in favor of the Clippers and then bet for them to cover it.

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Detroit is 4-1 ATS versus the Clippers the last 3 seasons.

The Clippers are 9-2 ATS against Central division opponents this season.

Detroit is 0-8 ATS revenging a same season loss this season.

Clippers: SF/SG Norman Powell.  Norman is a solid scorer every time he takes the court.  He is shaking the rust off his most recent absence from injury and playing well.  The best case scenario for the Clippers is Norman coming off the bench as a sixth man who adds 20 points.  He has the talent to be like a Vinny Johnson and score in limited minutes.

Pistons: SF Bojan Bogdanovic.  Bojan is the most likely to be traded very very soon.  He is not the sort of guy who fits into the Pistons long term plans.  He is a capable shooter with an OK defensive skill level.  He is also not a teenager which makes him stick out like a sore thumb on this roster.  

Clippers: Ty “Let’s get this done” Lue

Pistons: Dwayne “I remember the Raptors” Casey