Boston Celtics at Los Angeles Clippers
Monday, 3/12/12, 10:30 PM EST, TV: ESPN
Opening Point Spread: Los Angeles -5.5
Current Betting Line: Los Angeles -5.5
Opening Total: 185
Current Total: 185
Odds Courtesy of Bookmaker
Boston ended up on the losing end of a 97-94 contest against the Los Angeles Lakers as six-point road underdogs on Sunday, as the team has now alternated wins and losses over the last four games. The Celtics have also gone “over” the total in six of their last seven games. “They made shots down the stretch, and we didn’t,” commented Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo. The team is 5-11 on the road this year, including an 0-3 mark versus Western Conference foes. Boston is 3-8 ATS when playing on back-to-back days.
The Celtics split their two meetings with the Los Angeles Clippers during the 2010-11 campaign, with each team winning on the other’s home court. Boston captured a 99-92 win over Los Angeles as eight-point favorites on Feb. 26. Shooting guard Ray Allen averaged 22.5 points and 5.0 rebounds in the two games, while forward Paul Pierce added 21.5 points. Pierce has really struggled away from the TD Garden in his last three tries, managing to score just 13.7 points per game on 34.2 percent shooting.
Los Angeles will play the second game of a back-to-back situation at the Staples Center, as it returned home to drop a 97-93 affair to the Golden State Warriors as 7.5-point favorites. The Clippers truly lacked focus in missing 16 of 35 free throws and point guard Chris Paul was part of the mess in missing three of six from the charity stripe. “We beat ourselves,” stated Paul after the game. “That’s the real story of this.” It’s a busy month for the squad in playing 20 games in March. Los Angeles is 7-3 ATS when playing on back-to-back days and the “under” is 8-2 in that situation.
The Clippers will still rely on Paul on the offensive end due to averaging 27.0 points and 8.7 assists over the last three games, which has been made possible by shooting 59.2 percent from the floor. Los Angeles ranks third in the NBA with 13.6 turnovers per game, which is much better than giving it away 16.3 times a contest last year. All-Star power forward Blake Griffin managed to score 27 points and grab 12 rebounds last night.
Bettors will likely back the Celtics due to the underdog being 6-0 ATS in the last six meetings, while the Clippers are 0-4 ATS as a favorite of 5.0 to 10.5 points.
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