Golden State Warriors vs Los Angeles Clippers Preview & Picks (10/28): Expect Some Warriors Woes

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Looking for some late-night NBA bets? Check out our expert Golden State Warriors vs Los Angeles Clippers preview and picks.

Golden State Warriors vs Los Angeles Clippers 

A West Coast clash tips off at 11:00 pm ET on Tuesday night at Chase Center, where the Golden State Warriors host the Los Angeles Clippers.

Golden State opened as a slight favorite at -1.5, but the market has flipped the number, making the Warriors a +2 underdog. The total has also shifted, dropping from 227.5 to 225.5.

Is the movement toward Los Angeles justified, and where does the betting value lie in this marquee matchup? Find out with my Golden State Warriors vs. Los Angeles Clippers preview and picks.

For additional information on picks, props, moneylines, and more on today’s slate, take a look at our NBA Picks Page or our NBA Odds Page.

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Golden State Warriors vs Los Angeles Clippers NBA Insights

Looking for some late-night NBA bets? Check out our expert Golden State Warriors vs Los Angeles Clippers preview and picks.

Can Kawhi Leonard deliver a strong performance against the Warriors on Tuesday night?

Warriors vs Clippers Preview

The market move favoring LA appears justified given the disadvantages Golden State brings into this matchup.

One issue is rest. The Warriors are on the second leg of a back-to-back after last night’s 131-118 win over Memphis. Los Angeles, meanwhile, has been idle since Sunday’s 114-107 home win over Portland. It is still early in the season, so back-to-back situations carry less weight than they will later in the year. However, the short turnaround still works against Golden State.

The more meaningful edge lies in the early-season metrics. Although the sample size is limited, both of these veteran-laden rosters provide a reliable foundation for projecting expected performance.

Through three games, the Clippers rank first in offensive effective field goal percentage and eighth in points scored per 100 possessions. Golden State has struggled to match that efficiency on defense, ranking 28th and 22nd in those same metrics.

Los Angeles also holds advantages in the half court and in transition. The Clippers rank eighth in half-court points per 100 plays, while the Warriors sit 25th in defensive half-court points allowed. In transition, Los Angeles ranks fourth in points per 100 plays, compared with Golden State’s 22nd-ranked transition defense.

If we flip the situation around – the most notable vulnerability for Los Angeles comes on the perimeter. Opponents have taken 44.9 percent of their field-goal attempts from beyond the arc, which ranks the Clippers 28th in opponent three-point attempt rate. Those threes are falling at a 36.6 percent clip, placing them 18th in opponent three-point percentage. Golden State thrives from deep, so an early hot stretch from distance could be the necessary equalizer and would put Tyronn Lue’s group under pressure.

Golden State vs Los Angeles Picks

The market has moved correctly in favor of Los Angeles. Beyond the structural advantages discussed, the early eye test suggests Golden State is due for a setback against a deeper and more balanced opponent. Even without Bradley Beal, the Clippers possess multiple bench contributors capable of sustaining offensive production, whereas the Warriors appear more limited in that regard.

I am not overly worried about the minor defensive issues the Clippers have shown early on. This is typically a strength for them, and in a nationally spotlighted matchup, I expect them to tighten up and elevate their effort on that end.

My best bet on the side is the Clippers moneyline at -125.

Best Bet: Clippers ML (-125)

NBA Record: 12-6 (+5.57)

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