2014 NBA Playoffs
Western Conference Quarterfinals Game #7
#6 Golden State Warriors at #3 Los Angeles Clippers
Best of Seven Series Tied 3-3
Staples Center – Los Angeles, California
Saturday, May 3, 2014, 10:35 pm Eastern, TV: TNT
Opening Line: Los Angeles -7
Current Line: Los Angeles -7 1/2
Opening Total: 209 1/2
Current Total: 206 1/2
Opening Money Line: Clippers -335 / Warriors +275
Opening Money Line: Clippers -350 / Warriors +290
The Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors are meeting in the playoffs for the first time. The two in-state rivals have certainly made their first post-season meeting memorable, for both entertaining basketball on the court and because of some ugly off court issues. Now, the two teams meet in game seven to decide the series Saturday night in Los Angeles. It is the third game seven of the day, the first time that has happened in the history of the NBA. There are two more game sevens scheduled for Sunday. Five game sevens are tied for the most in any playoff year for all rounds combined.
Golden State won game one 109-105 in LA to steal home court. The Clippers rebounding with a resounding 138-98 win game two. LA won game three in Oakland 98-96. The Warriors tied the series at 2 games apiece with a 118-97 rout in game four. The Clippers took control of the series with a 113-103 win in game five. Golden State forced game seven with a thrilling game six 100-99 victory Thursday night in Oakland.
Game six was close throughout. The Clippers led 51-48 at halftime. The Warriors would take a 70-67 lead into the fourth quarter. Golden State pulled away and led 96-89 with 2:31 left, when Blake Griffin fouled out for the Clippers for the second time in the series. LA quickly cut the lead to two. However, the Clippers missed three shots in the final minute. Matt Barnes hit a three for the Clippers with 1.1 seconds left to trim the lead to one. Golden State guard Stephen Curry missed two free throws after being fouled, but Golden grabbed the offensive rebound to seal the win.
The game was choppy on both sides. Each team shot under 40% and the teams combined for 52 fouls. The referees called it tight like they did in game one which Golden State also won. Curry led the Warriors in scoring with 24 points, 9 assists and 4 rebounds. Forward Andre Igoudala scored 15 points. Forward Draymond Green scored 14 points and also had 14 rebounds, 4 assists and 5 steals. Jamal Crawford led the Clippers with 19 points off the bench. Barnes scored 18 points will 11 rebounds. Griffin had 17 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists. Center DeAndre Jordan had 19 rebounds and 4 blocks. Chris Paul has struggled with a strained hamstring for the whole series, and had 9 points, 8 assists and 5 rebounds.
Golden State is coached by Mark Jackson. The Warriors are 45-40-3 ATS this season and the total is 37-49-2 this season.
Golden State is outscoring teams 104-100 this season. The Warriors are #10 in scoring and #10 in points allowed. Golden State is shooting 46.2% from the field and 38% from 3 point range. The Warriors are #9 in field goal percentage and #4 in three point shooting. Golden State makes 75.3% of their free throws. Opponents are shooting 43.6% from the field and 34.4% from 3 point range. The Warriors are #4 in field goal defense and #3 in three point defense. Golden State averages 45.3 rebounds per game and opponents average 43.3 per game. The Warriors are #5 in rebounding and #20 in rebounds allowed. Golden State averages 23.2 assists, 15.2 turnovers, 7.7 steals and 5.1 blocks per game. Opponents average 20.2 assists, 14.9 turnovers, 8 steals and 4.2 blocks per game.
Guard Stephen Curry averages 24 points, 8.5 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game. Guard Klay Thompson averages 18.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. Forward David Lee averages 18.3 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 2.1 assists. Lee played in the last 3 games of the season after missing the previous 7 games with a hamstring injury. Forward Harrison Barnes averages 9.5 points, 4 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. Forward Andre Iguodala averages 9.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.5 steals per game. Jermaine O’Neal, Jordan Crawford, Andrew Bogut, Marresse Speights and Draymond Green will also get some minutes. Bogut leads the team in rebounds at 10 per game and blocks at 1.8 per game. Bogut is out for this series with a rib injury. O’Neal will replace him in the starting line-up. He is probable with a knee sprain suffered when he banged knees with Glen Davis of the Clippers in game six. Center Festus Ezeli is out indefinitely with a knee injury and has missed the entire season. Guard Nemanja Nedovic is probable with a calf injury.
Los Angeles is coached by Doc Rivers. The Clippers are 48-39-1 ATS this season and the total is 48-39-1 this season.
LA is outscoring teams 108-101. The Clippers lead the league in scoring and are #14 in points allowed. Los Angeles is shooting 47.4% from the field and 35.2% from 3 point range. The Clippers are #3 in field goal percentage and #22 in three point shooting. LA is #26 in free throw shooting at 73% from the field. Opponents are shooting 44.1% from the field and 33.2% from 3 point range. The Clippers lead the league in 3 point defense and are #5 in opponents’ field goal percentage. Los Angeles averages 43 rebounds per game and opponents average 43.7 per game. LA is #25 in rebounds allowed. The Clippers average 24.6 assists, 13.9 turnovers, 8.6 steals and 4.9 blocks per game. Opponents average 23.3 assists, 15.4 turnovers, 7 steals and 3.5 blocks per game.
Griffin averages 24.1 points, 9.5 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. Point guard Chris Paul averages 19.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 10.7 assists, and 2.5 steals per game. Paul leads the league in assists and steals. Guard Jamal Crawford averages 18.6 points, 2.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. Guard J.J. Redick averages 15.2 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. Guard Darren Collison averages 11.4 points, 2.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.2 steals per game. Center DeAndre Jordan averages 10.4 points, 13.6 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game. Jordan leads the league in rebounding and is third in blocks per game. Forward Matt Barnes averages 9.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2 assists per game. Danny Granger, Jared Dudley, and Willie Green will also get significant minutes. Forward Hedo Turkoglu is questionable with a back injury after missing game six.
Golden State is 14-2 ATS in first round playoff games, 8-2 overall and against Western Conference teams, 6-2 against teams with winning records, against Pacific Division teams and on one day rest, 5-2 in Saturday games, after a cover, after the opponent allows 100 points or more and after scoring 100 points or more. The over is 11-4 in this series recently, including 7-1 in LA.
Los Angeles is 5-1 ATS on one day rest, 4-1 at home, 20-7 after a straight up loss, 5-2 after failing to cover, 2-5 overall and against Western Conference teams, 2-7 against teams with winning records, and 2-9 in first round playoff games. The home team is 5-1 ATS in this series. The Clippers are 5-1 ATS in the last six against the Warriors at the Staples Center.
These teams have played ten times this season and each has won five. It is safe to say they are familiar with each other. This game will depend on how the game is called. If they call it tight like in game one or game six, then Golden State has a good shot of pulling off the road upset. That is seemingly the only way Golden State can stop Blake Griffin if he is in foul trouble. I think the Clippers will ride an emotional home crowd to victory though.
