Last Meeting: The Spurs defeated the Clippers 116-90 in Los Angeles on 2/21/13
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Two of the best teams in basketball face off in San Antonio as the Los Angeles Clippers battle the Spurs on Friday at 8:30 ET. The Spurs have won five of their last six games and sit atop the Western Conference. With only 11 games to play in the regular season, San Antonio appears to be the favorites to enjoy home court advantage throughout the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Clippers have won three of their last four and have continued scoring the rock with ease. The Clips are firing on all cylinders and look ready to make a splash in the playoffs.
San Antonio is the best team in the Western Conference, and occupies the top seed in the current playoff picture. With a 1 ½ game lead over the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Spurs are the team to beat in the West. The Clippers are currently the 3rd seed in the West, and trail the 2nd seeded OKC Thunder by 4 games. The Clips only have a half game lead over the 4thseeded Denver Nuggets and will need to keep winning ball games if they want to keep their spot in the playoff picture.
The Spurs are 54-17 straight up and 37-32 against the spread on the season. At home, San Antonio is 31-4 SU and 18-15 ATS. Against the total, the Spurs are 39-31 Under and are averaging 104.3 PPG, which is 4th best in the league.
Los Angeles has a record of 49-23 SU and 39-32 ATS. While playing on the road, the Clippers are 21-15 SU and 18-18 ATS. Against the total, Lob City is 39-33 Over on the year and are putting up 100.9 PPG.
After missing three games with an injured groin, Clippers guard Chauncey Billups re-aggravated his injury on Wednesday against the Rockets. Billups is listed as day-to-day, but is not expected to play on Friday. The 2004 Finals MVP is averaging 8.2 PPG on the year.
What to watch for
Look for solid ball movement and quick, crisp passes for both teams, as this game features two of the top five teams in assists per game. The Spurs lead the league in assists with 25.1 APG, while the Clippers are averaging 23.5 APG, good for 4th in the NBA.
Tim Duncan is proving that age is nothing but a number. The 36-year-old veteran has played phenomenal during the Spurs past six games, notching a double-double in five of the contests and averaging 23.6 PPG and 13.5 RPG over that stretch. Watch for Duncan to grab another double-double in this one.
A major reason for the success of the Clippers this season has been the play of Jamal Crawford. Believed by many to be the favorite for the Sixth Man of the Year Award, Crawford has contributed greatly to the winning ways of the Clips this season. Watch for Crawford and his 16.7 PPG to make an impact on Friday.
The pick
With Tim Duncan playing beyond his age, a healthy Tony Parker and Gregg Popovich leading his team into the postseason, it will be a difficult task for Lob City to come into San Antonio and knock off the Spurs. Losing this one will be only the fifth loss at the AT&T Center this season, but I don’t believe that it will happen. This will be a high-flying, fast paced game, but San Antonio will pull away late and take this one, 115-107.
Source: ESPN
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