NBA: LA Clippers vs Philadelphia 76ers Preview, Odds, Prediction

LA Clippers and the Philadelphia 76ers clash in Friday’s main NBA event. The two title contenders are in excellent shape, and we expect them to deliver one amazing performance. The Clippers’ duo Leonard-George is among the most lethal in the league, while on the other side, the 76ers have one of the biggest MVP candidates, Joel Embiid. It will be interesting to see where these two teams stand once meeting one another, not only because of the inter-conference rivalry, but due to the overall picture. Also, this match is special because of Doc Rivers, who used to guide the Clippers for the past several seasons before transferring to Pennsylvania during the latest offseason.

Preview

LA Clippers (39-18, -135) have seven straight wins in a row, with the last two being on the road, against the Pacers and the Pistons. Previously, Rivers’ side defeated the Lakers, Trail Blazers, Suns, Rockets, and the Pistons at home, and after that started a three-game road trip.

The match in Indiana ended 126-115 in their favor, and once day afterward, the Clips beat the Pistons after a lot of trouble, 100-98. If it weren’t for their strong finish, one of the worst teams in the league would stay unbeaten.

Though, it needs to be mentioned that the Clippers played without both Leonard and George, who were resting. Reggie Jackson scored 29 points, shooting 12-for-24 from the field, while Luke Kennard added 17. Ivica Zubac was superb with a double-double, 18 points and 13 boards, six in the attack.

Philadelphia 76ers (38-17, -160) have three consecutive triumphs, two on the road, against Oklahoma City Thunder and the Dallas Mavs, and one in Brooklyn versus Nets on Wednesday night, 123-117. In all these three events, Joel Embiid had a show of his own, scoring 27, 36, and 39 points.

The Process is back, and we believe that he still has a chance to win the MVP award and surpass Nikola Jokic, who is the top candidate for the Most Valuable Player honors. In the most recent match vs Brooklyn, Embiid netted 39 buckets with 13 boards and two blocks.

Tobias Harris had 26 with five boards, 11-for-17, while Ben Simmons scored 17 points and nine assists. The 76ers limited the Nets to just four threes in 21 attempts, and allowed them to have a maximum lead of one point. Now that tells a lot about the Nets’ performance.

Head to Head Games

The first game in LA, less than three weeks ago, saw the Clippers winning 122-112. Kawhi scored 28 points, while George added 24. Terance Mann added 23 off the bench with just two misses in 12 shots from the floor. Tobias Harris had 29 points, Danny Green 17, Shake Milton 16. The guests from Philly played without injured Embiid.

Prediction

This is going to be a highly interesting game, but in our opinion, Philly has better chances of winning this event. Embiid is back, and to be honest, there isn’t a Clippers’ player capable of guarding him. Also, the 76ers play at home, and over the past several years, Wells Fargo Center has been one of the most hostile places in the league, even though there wasn’t a full capacity of the arena in recent times.

Pick: 76ers to win