NBA Spreads: Los Angeles Clippers at Orlando Magic
Written by Steve Janus - Google +
The Orlando Magic get ready to host the Los Angeles Clippers tonight. Orlando has already beat Los Angeles 94-85 back on Dec. 12, and will try and make it five straight at home over the Clippers. Our NBA spreads have the Magic favored by 9.5-points with the total set at 201.5.
The Clippers lost 97-89 at Miami on Sunday, their third straight loss and fifth in their last seven games. Orlando will also look to bounce back from defeat, as they fell 91-80 at Boston. The Magic are just 3-5 in their last eight.
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The Clippers recent struggles have had a lot to do with the loss of Eric Gordon, who has missed the last seven games with a wrist injury. Randy Foye has done a decent job filling in for Gordon, but at the same time it has hurt their production off the bench.
Against Miami the Clippers got 21 points and 16 rebounds from Blake Griffin, 15 from Foye, and Baron Davis added 15 points and six assists. Davis however turned the ball over seven times, and the Clippers turned if over 19 times as a team. Los Angeles also got just 14 points from their bench.
The Magic didn’t get much help from their bench against the Celtics, as J.J. Redick and Earl Clark were the only two players to even score. Both finished with eight points a piece.
Dwight Howard led th way with 28 points and 13 rebounds, and despite Orlando’s struggles, Howard is playing extremely well right now. Ryan Anderson was the next best in scoring with just 12 points.
Orlando has been without Brandon Bass for the last three games with a sprained left ankle, and won’t be ready to play tonight. Bass had 13 points and 11 rebounds against the Clippers earlier this season.
While Griffin had 27 points and 16 rebounds against the Magic the first time around, I don’t think Griffin has enough help around him to keep this game close. Gordon had 28 points against the Magic, and was the only other player to even score in double-figures outside of Griffin.
The Clippers are just 3-17 on the road this season, so even if Gordon was able to play, its unlikely they have much of a chance to win this game. I think with Gordon out and this being the Clippers third straight road game, you lay the points and bet the Magic.
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