SAN ANTONIO at the CLIPPERS
SAN ANTONIO is coming off 1 day rest after a home win vs GOLDEN STATE 98-95
LA CLIPPERS are coming off 1 day rest after 2 fairly close road losses 92-102 vs a strong DALLAS team and 111-116 vs a surprisingly stable MEMPHIS team
These two teams played 2 games this year vs one another in a 4 day span.
SAN ANTONIO won 94-87 at SAN ANTONIO outshooting the CLIPPERS 39/76 to 32/85. REBOUNDING and FOUL SHOTS kept the CLIPPERS in the game, while they shot poorly. SAN ANTONIO had 7 steals and 10 blocked shots in the game compared to 4 in each catagory for the CLIPPERS.
In the second meeting, 2 days later, at LA the CLIPPERS won rather convincingly 91-79, primarily on 3 pt shots and free throws.SAN ANTONIO was 0 for 9 from 3 pt range while in the first meeting were 7 for 17 at SAN ANTONIO. The power of the home court advantage showed its ugly face in this one. SAN ANTONIO edged the CLIPPERS on the off and def boards, but allowed them 24 free throws, while getting only 9 free throws in return .
LAST YEAR in the first game of the season SAN ANTONIO won at home 109-98, with the clippers only sinking 1 of 8 from 3 pt range
JAN 31 the CLIPPERS won at SAN ANTONIO 91-87. In that game SAN ANTONIO led 49-47 at the half, but the CLIPPERS dominated the 3rd quarter 22-16 which sealed a close win.
FEB 14 SAN ANTONIO won at LA 89-76, outshooting the CLIPPERS 43% to a paltry 35%, BUT the CLIPPERS dominated the off and def boards. Something to keep in mind.
MAR 25 SAN ANTONIO won 91-85 in a close contest at LA. LA again dominated the off and def boards and made 5of 15 3 pt shots to SAN ANTONIO's 1 0f 7. SAN ANTONIO actually won the game on free throws 20 of 29 to LA's 10 of 15.
BOTTOM LINE is that SAN ANTONIO does not shoot well when playing in LA. Couple that with the fact that LA rarely gets beaten on the boards, PLUS LA needs to get back into winning form after those close road losses, I believe they are a good bet at +5. The game should be close due to SAN ANTONIO's ability to block shots and steal the ball on a rather regular basis. But LA does have the ability to run off , so to speak, with the game if the 3 pointers and rebounds and naturally the ugly face of the home court advantage remains in tact.
I might be eating soup next week, but I like the CLIPPERS at +5
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Posted : January 5, 2003 4:24 pm