The Golden State Warriors rolled to a fairly easy win over the Los Angeles Clippers in the opener of their Western Conference quarterfinal series. However, the Clippers rode a huge night from Lou Williams to steal a win at Oracle Arena and now head home with home court advantage and the series all square at a game apiece. In Game 2, the Warriors led by 31 points but still lost, giving up the biggest playoff comeback in the history of the NBA. Landry Shamet knocked down a three-ball to take the lead with 16.5 seconds in the fourth quarter, and Stephen Curry clanked his response at the other end. Williams put up 36 points and went 8 for 10 from the free throw line, as the Clippers won even though Patrick Beverley fouled out with 4:34 remaining in regulation. Can the Clippers hold onto the momentum at home, or will Golden State take out some frustration for that blown lead? We have your NBA sports betting preview for this West Coast contest.
Warriors vs Clippers 2019 NBA Playoffs Betting Odds & Game 3 Preview
game day work 🏀 pic.twitter.com/EfnLtCIbrO
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) April 18, 2019
- When: Thursday, April 18, 2019, 10:30pm ET
- Where: Staples Center, Los Angeles
- TV: TNT
- Radio: 95.7 FM The Game Oakland / KLAC 570 AM Los Angeles
- Live Stream: ESPN+
- Opening NBA Odds: Golden State -8 / O/U 237
Why should you bet on Golden State?
In the two games of this series, Stephen Curry has scored 67 points and dealt out 13 assists. Kevin Durant has scored 44 points, and Draymond Green is also averaging double figures. From downtown, the Warriors are shooting at their usual elite clip, 34.1 percent. However, the Warriors showed, once again, that they are prone to taking the foot off the gas and letting opponents back into games. When the Warriors are focused, there is no team that can stay with them. However, they showed a considerable lack of focus in Game 2.
Golden State has covered in 27 of their last 37 Western Conference quarterfinal games — which means that they fail to cover in many of the games that they win. They have covered, though, in five of their last six games against the Clippers in Los Angeles, and overall, the road team in this rivalry has covered in eight of the last 11 meetings. If you like Golden State to win and cover, you see them reverting to a game of focus on both ends of the floor.
Team Stats
Offense- Total Score: 117.88
- Field Goal Percentage: 49.12
- Three-Point Percentage: 38.60
- Free Throw Percentage: 80.37
- Total Rebounds: 46.18
Defense
- Total Score: 111.42
- Field Goal Percentage: 44.46
- Three-Point Percentage: 34.84
- Free Throw Percentage: 77.30
- Total Rebounds: 44.14
Why should you put your money on the Clippers?
Lou Williams has scored 61 points so far in this series, and Montrezl Harrell has put up 51 points and 15 boards. Danilo Gallinari also scores in double figures. The Clippers are almost even with Golden State from downtown, making 41 percent of their shots from distance. The Clippers also have a 10-3 record in their last 13 games at the Staples Center. This doesn’t feel like a 1-seed and an 8-seed in this series because of the competitive nature of both games, even though Golden State has dominated in short bursts of both contests.
In a lot of ways, the numbers favor the Clippers, at least with respect to the point spread. Golden State has only covered in six of the last 16 games in which they were favored on the road — and in five of the last 12 when they were favored on the road by five or more points. The fact that Golden State has failed to cover in 10 of their last 37 quarterfinal games — when they have won straight up at a much higher clip — should point you toward the Clippers here. Golden State has lost DeMarcus Cousins for the foreseeable future thanks to a quad injury, and that lack of grit inside could harm the Warriors on the defensive end.
Team Stats
Offense- Total Score: 115.25
- Field Goal Percentage: 47.19
- Three-Point Percentage: 38.81
- Free Throw Percentage: 79.19
- Total Rebounds: 45.27
Defense
- Total Score: 114.57
- Field Goal Percentage: 45.81
- Three-Point Percentage: 34.48
- Free Throw Percentage: 77.97
- Total Rebounds: 45.76
Warriors vs Clippers 2019 NBA Playoffs Betting Trends
- Over is 9-3 in the last 12 meetings
- Road team is 8-3 ATS in the last 11 meetings
- Golden State is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
- Golden State is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games
- The total has gone UNDER in 17 of Golden State’s last 23 games
- LA is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games at home
- LA is 11-3 SU in its last 14 games at home
- The total has gone OVER in 7 of LA Clippers’s last 8 games at home
