Preview, Prediction and Betting Picks

The Portland Trail Blazers will try to maintain their winning form as they visit the red-hot Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday, 10 PM EST, at Staples Center.

BetUS has already updated the odds several times for this intriguing Western Conference battle. Right now, the Clippers carry a 2.5-point handicap being the favorites on the strength of their four-game winning streak.

Portland Trail Blazers vs Los Angeles Clippers betting lines and odds

ATS: Clippers -2.5 points

Moneyline: Clippers -140m Blazers +120

O/U: 221.5 points

Portland Trail Blazers vs Los Angeles Clippers Team News

Joe Moore of SB Nation blog Blazer’s edge believes the upcoming four-game road trip will test Portland. One of three remaining winless teams on the road, the Blazers will play the Clippers Tuesday before taking on Phoenix Suns, Houston Rockets, and the Denver Nuggets in one week.

“With a much more difficult schedule coming up, playing the Clippers, Phoenix Suns, Rockets, and Denver Nuggets, righting the ship is a must for a Blazers team hoping to make the playoffs for a ninth straight season. There is always some amount of luck associated with winning games in the NBA, and for the Blazers, there, fortunately, seems to be a bit of bad luck associated with this skid,” Moore observes.

The Clippers, on the other hand, have fully embraced the identity as a resilient squad. This came after completing yet another comeback win against the Charlotte Hornets, 120-106, on Sunday. Down nine points with under seven minutes to play, Los Angeles mounted a 22-0 rum to complete a come-from-behind win vs. Charlotte. The Clippers also rallied from behind to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves, 104-84, after trailing 20 in the first half.

Portland Trail Blazers vs Los Angeles Clippers Injury Report

Blazers: No Reported Injuries

Clippers: Marcus Morris – OUT (Knee), Kawhi Leonard – OUT (Knee), Jason Preston – OUT (Foot)

Portland Trail Blazers vs Los Angeles Clippers Preview

Over the weekend, the Blazers came off a successful back-to-back homestand against the Indiana Pacers and the Los Angeles Lakers. Portland snapped a three-game losing skid with a hard-earned win against the Pacers, 110-106. They followed it up the next day by blowing out the LeBron-less Lakers, 105-90. Damian Lillard had a night-and-day output between those games. The All-Star scored only 4 points against the Pacers before he exploded for 25 against the Lakers.

Meanwhile, Paul George has been on a roll in the past two weeks, upping his averages to 27.0 PPG, 8.2 RPG, and 5.2 APG. The star wingman has emerged as the statistical leader in the abovementioned categories. With that noted, these staggering all-around numbers only prove his immense value to a team still learning to adapt sans Kawhi Leonard.

After erupting for 42 points in a 111-92 loss to the Blazers a week ago, George gets a crack at leading his team to payback win. On the other hand, The Blazers hope Lillard’s scoring outburst against the Lakers is a sign of more things to come from their franchise player. Their regular-season series is currently tied at 1-1.

Portland Trail Blazers vs Los Angeles Clippers Prediction

With George leading anew, the Clippers will get away with their fifth straight win to push their record two games above .500. The Blazers will feed on Lillard’s and McCollum’s offense in the early going to take a slight half-time lead. However, it will be in the third quarter where fans will witness another exceptional scoring display from George. The Clippers should also expect steady contributions from Reggie Jackson, Luke Kennard, and Ivica Zubac, who are also playing well as of late. In the end, the home will prove just too much for the Blazers in another low-scoring affair.