Free Picks: Brooklyn Nets vs. Los Angeles Clippers

The 16-5 Los Angeles Clippers couldn’t be any hotter as they head into the Barclays Center to take on the 13-9 Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday night, having won nine of their last 10. Meanwhile, the Nets continue to figure out how to mesh as a team, most recently collapsing in the final seconds of what ended up a 149-146 loss to the porous Washington Wizards on Sunday night.

After that game it’s pretty clear that the Nets desperately need some defensive hands on deck, because no one in house seems willing to put in the work on that end right now. There’s not much time to fix the issue before the red hot Clippers come to town on Tuesday night though, so Steve Nash’s boys might struggle against a team that is the class of the NBA right now.

Because of the sheer starpower Brooklyn’s boasting nowadays, sportsbooks are essentially evaluating this matchup as a pick’em, even though the Nets just gave up 149 points in a regulation loss to the worst team in the Eastern Conference while the Clippers have come out winners in 10 of their last 11 games. The NBA odds are nearly identical for both teams on 22Bet in terms of moneyline, but to be safe we’re taking the Clippers +1.5 point spread at -118 odds as one of our best bets for today.

The Nets have been one of the worst teams against the spread this season, posting a 9-13 ATS record so far, good for fourth worst in the league. The Clippers, meanwhile, have been the fourth-best team against the spread, going 13-8 ATS during this campaign. Brooklyn has also covered the spread in only two in eight games following losses, three of nine games when they’re a home favorite, and five of 14 when they’re playing on equal rest as their opponent.

Los Angeles, who are scoring 114.5 points per game this season, good for seventh in the NBA, certainly have the guns to keep up with the Nets, but they’re also a great defensive team: only three teams allow opponents to score less than the 106.7 points that Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and company are allowing this season.

PG and the Klaw certainly have the defensive tools and prowess to slow down their Nets counterparts, but even slowing down Kevin Durant lately means at least 30 from the Durantula. Some people thought that the arrival of James Harden in Brooklyn would stunt Durant’s offensive production, but it has been quite the opposite.

When Durant’s been in there he’s been lights out since the Beard has come to town whether all three of the stars are in there or it’s some combination of two of the three. In the seven games since teaming up with his old OKC Thunder buddy, Durant has been putting up 32.9 points on 50.3 percent shooting from the field.

Oddsmakers clearly think the Klaw is going to clamp the Durantula because they have his point prop at just 26.5. Kawhi’s a great defender, but Durant is pretty much unguardable, especially with two other All-NBA talents on the floor at the same time, so we’re taking the over on Durant’s 26.5 points prop at -137 odds on 22Bet.

• Los Angeles is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 following a SU win of 10+ points
• Kevin Durant is scoring 32.9 points per game since James Harden joined the Nets (Jan. 16th)
• Los Angeles is 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games on the road
• Brooklyn is 9-13 ATS this season