Exciting matchup for me...a meaningful game early in the season at the Staples Center tonight with KG in town and Jaric (one of my favorite Clippers when he was healthy) returning to face the boys.
The Clippers are really playing well and look to have already established great chemistry and an identity with Cassel and Mobley. Brand is not scoring much but he and Kaman have been animals defensively in the paint. Singleton is playing out of his mind with another 13 point - 13 rebound night off the bench. Everyone is playing their role to perfection so far early in the season.
Even though it was against the worst team in the NBA (Atlanta) last night, the Clippers were a machine building a 30-point lead before putting it on cruise control for their 2nd win both SU and ATS. It would be tough for me to put money against this team right now.
Minnesota comes in to town after a hard fought OT loss last night in Seattle. They should be spent from that game while the Clippers are well rested with Mobley being the only starter that played 30 minutes last night. Every starter played major minutes last night for Minnesota with Szerbiack being the only starter to play less than 37 minutes (30) and KG logging 45 minutes.
These two teams will probably end up within a few games of each other in the final standings at the end of the season and this home game for the Clippers could really give them a major edge or it could be the start of an early downfall. We have to go to Minnesota on Monday so a win tonight is important.
The Clippers are making a little noise with the key additions of Cassel and Mobley and when Maggette returns, we will be as good as any team in the league as far as individual scorers...but this team wins with defense. I have been really impressed with how well we are playing on the defensive side. Dunleavy has made it clear this team will be defensive minded, but I wasn't sure how well that would work with Cassel and Mobley...but we are playing great team D with Kaman and Brand averaging 3.5 and 2.5 blocks respectively.
Brand will have a tough matchup tonight with KG, but the key will be containing everyone else on the TWolves. KG will always get his, but as Minnesota has shown year in and year out, the role players on their roster can't beat you.
I wouldn't feel comfortable laying the points in this one and would probably find a bit of value on Minnesota on the ML if they weren't in the situation of back-to-back road games following an OT loss, but I am going to pass on the game all together for several reasons. The most important being this is a team I have been with for over 25 years and hate to cap their games. I prefer to be a "FAN" of this team and not take the time to dive into the handicapping side of their games. It would take the fun out of it.
Good luck to anyone who has money on this game...I will be there naked as usual with a Clippers wrist band on my calf.
Notes: Maggette will be out again tonight but should be back next week...that will give us a HUGE boost and limit Quinton Ross' minutes (finally). I am hoping Singleton will be the first off the bench when Maggette returns and Ross is sent to the end of the bench and rotation.
Handicapping Note: Minnesota is in a tough spot here. I normally don't follow trends because most of them don't really have anything to do or have a direct effect on how a team plays...but basketball teams in the 2nd game of a back-to-back on the road following on OT game have performed extremely poorly against the number. Just one aspect to consider when capping this game.
<!-- / message -->
<!-- / message -->
The Clippers are really playing well and look to have already established great chemistry and an identity with Cassel and Mobley. Brand is not scoring much but he and Kaman have been animals defensively in the paint. Singleton is playing out of his mind with another 13 point - 13 rebound night off the bench. Everyone is playing their role to perfection so far early in the season.
Even though it was against the worst team in the NBA (Atlanta) last night, the Clippers were a machine building a 30-point lead before putting it on cruise control for their 2nd win both SU and ATS. It would be tough for me to put money against this team right now.
Minnesota comes in to town after a hard fought OT loss last night in Seattle. They should be spent from that game while the Clippers are well rested with Mobley being the only starter that played 30 minutes last night. Every starter played major minutes last night for Minnesota with Szerbiack being the only starter to play less than 37 minutes (30) and KG logging 45 minutes.
These two teams will probably end up within a few games of each other in the final standings at the end of the season and this home game for the Clippers could really give them a major edge or it could be the start of an early downfall. We have to go to Minnesota on Monday so a win tonight is important.
The Clippers are making a little noise with the key additions of Cassel and Mobley and when Maggette returns, we will be as good as any team in the league as far as individual scorers...but this team wins with defense. I have been really impressed with how well we are playing on the defensive side. Dunleavy has made it clear this team will be defensive minded, but I wasn't sure how well that would work with Cassel and Mobley...but we are playing great team D with Kaman and Brand averaging 3.5 and 2.5 blocks respectively.
Brand will have a tough matchup tonight with KG, but the key will be containing everyone else on the TWolves. KG will always get his, but as Minnesota has shown year in and year out, the role players on their roster can't beat you.
I wouldn't feel comfortable laying the points in this one and would probably find a bit of value on Minnesota on the ML if they weren't in the situation of back-to-back road games following an OT loss, but I am going to pass on the game all together for several reasons. The most important being this is a team I have been with for over 25 years and hate to cap their games. I prefer to be a "FAN" of this team and not take the time to dive into the handicapping side of their games. It would take the fun out of it.
Good luck to anyone who has money on this game...I will be there naked as usual with a Clippers wrist band on my calf.
Notes: Maggette will be out again tonight but should be back next week...that will give us a HUGE boost and limit Quinton Ross' minutes (finally). I am hoping Singleton will be the first off the bench when Maggette returns and Ross is sent to the end of the bench and rotation.
Handicapping Note: Minnesota is in a tough spot here. I normally don't follow trends because most of them don't really have anything to do or have a direct effect on how a team plays...but basketball teams in the 2nd game of a back-to-back on the road following on OT game have performed extremely poorly against the number. Just one aspect to consider when capping this game.
<!-- / message -->
<!-- / message -->