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The LA Lakers and LA Clippers will meet Wednesday in yet another 'Battle for LA'. This will be the fourth matchup between these two teams, with the Purple and Gold winning the series 2-1 so far. The first encounter was in November last year when they notched up a win in overtime, followed by a close 106-103 win. They met again in January with the Clippers taking the win this time around.
The larger picture though will be whether the Lakers can make the playoffs. With the regular season reaching the business end, they are 10th in an unforgiving West, and while the Clippers can afford a loss, their rivals cannot.
The Clippers have missed Paul George's playmaking and contribution on offense. They come off a 123-109 loss to the Sacramento Kings, and will be keen to bounce back to winning ways.
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LA Lakers vs LA Clippers: Preview, betting tips, and prediction
Game details
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Teams: Lakers (30-28) vs Clippers (37-19)
Date and time: Feb. 28, 2024 | 10:00 p.m. ET
Venue: Crypto.com Arena, LA
Watch: ESPN, Bally Sports SoCal, Spectrum SportsNet
Listen: RADIO SiriusXM, AM 570 KLAC/S: KTMZ, ESPN LA 710/1330 KWKW
LA Lakers vs LA Clippers: Preview
Coming off a two-day break, the injury-riddled Lakers will now gear up for the remainder of the tough matchups they have in the days to come. They have lost two games after returning from the All-Star break.
Their 26th-placed defense has a major part in LA allowing their opponents to either carve a massive lead or letting them get back into the game — the former of which was distinctly seen during their loss to the Suns. The Lakers will almost certainly deploy the lineup featuring Rui Hachimura in the starters against the Clippers outfit whose defense has been their bane as well.
They are placed 29th in defense in their last few games, and their offense comprising Kawhi Leonard, James Harden and Norman Powell has seen them chalk up wins. The last time both these teams squared off, the Lakers were without LeBron James, but they did put up a fight till the end.
The X-factor for the Clippers will likely be Powell, whose insertion in the lineup following Paul George's knee injury has paid dividends. He ended up leading the Clippers on Sunday with 21 points and playing a key role as an offensive presence behind Harden and Leonard. Shoring up defense and making 3s will be key for LA when they take the floor on Wednesday.
LA Lakers vs LA Clippers: Predicted starting lineups
The LA Lakers have listed Anthony Davis (bilateral Achilles tendinopathy) and Cam Reddish (right ankle sprain) as probable. A respiratory illness forced the big to miss practice on Tuesday, but it is positive news that he has been listed as probable.
Meanwhile, LeBron James (left ankle peroneal tendinopathy) is listed as questionable, while, Christian Wood (left knee effusion), Jarred Vanderbilt (right foot soreness) and Gabe Vincent (left knee surgery) are all ruled out for this fixture.
Chances are that head coach Darvin Ham will bring Reddish off the bench if he laces up for the game. That would mean the Purple and Gold likely boasting this below lineup:
PG - D'Angelo Russell, SG - Austin Reaves, SF- LeBron James, PF - Rui Hachimura, and C - Anthony Davis
The Clippers will be without Paul George (left knee soreness) and Ivica Zubac (illness). In their absence, Amir Coffey and Daniel Theis.
PG - James Harden, SG - Terance Mann, SF- Amir Coffey, PF -Kawhi Leonard, and C - Daniel Theis will be the probable starters.
LA Lakers vs LA Clippers: Betting tips
Spread: Lakers (+3.5) vs Clippers (-3.5)
Moneyline: Lakers (+135) vs Clippers (-162)
Total (o/u): 235.5
Player props: Leonard is one of the names to keep an eye out for as he heads into the game with an o/u of 25.5 (-123/-111). James Harden in 20.5 with -111/-123. For the Lakers, watch out for James who is 24.5 ahead of the skirmish with an o/u of -111/123. Davis is next with 24.5 (-115/-119).
LA Lakers vs LA Clippers: Prediction
The LA Lakers have been a better offensive team and if they play well on that front, they will most likely cover that spread. Despite the results, the Clippers have played well against their rivals usually and have been propping up close to 118 points per game against the side. If they manage to keep that offense firing, they will hold the edge.
On paper, the Clippers are favorites, but the Lakers have always been a surprise package this season. Take the contest to be a close one, with the latter winning their final clash in this regular season.
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