wsn-newsletter Subscribe to WSN.

Lakers vs Clippers: Lakers Continue to Fight for a Position in the Top Six

Written by: Christian Jope
Published April 5, 2023
5 min read
  • The Los Angeles Lakers continue to fight for a position in the top six
  • The LA Clippers have lost back-to-back games
  • The Clippers are 3-0 against the Lakers this season

The Los Angeles Lakers and LA Clippers face off in a critical matchup in the Western Conference table. Looking to keep themselves ahead of the seventh seed, the Lakers have been rejuvenated over their last ten games and could gain ground on the fifth-place Clippers. The LA Clippers own a 41-38 overall record but have lost back-to-back games while going 5-5 over their last ten matches.

The Los Angeles Lakers and LA Clippers will play this regular season for the fourth and final time. The last time these two teams met, the Clippers defeated the Lakers 115-133. Hosted at crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California, the LA Clippers will have home court advantage in this matchup.

Let's check out the bets!

Check out our NBA betting bonuses and promo codes here!

How We Rate
Affiliate Disclaimer
21+
Lakers vs Clippers Predictions

Head-to-Head: Los Angeles Lakers vs LA Clippers

Los Angeles LakersHead-to-HeadLA Clippers
Darvin HamHead CoachTyronn Lue
41-38 (7th in West)Standing41-38 (5th in West)
L-W-W-WFormL-L-W-W
114.2 (22nd of 30)Off Rtg114.7 (18th of 30)
113.9 (11th of 30)Def Rtg114.4 (17th of 30)
101.2 (3rd of 30)Pace97.6 (24th of 30)

Leaders (Per Game)

L. James (28.8)PPGP. George (23.8)
A. Davis (12.4)RPGI. Zubac (9.9)
R. Westbrook (7.5)APGR. Westbrook (7.8)
J. Vanderbilt (1.3)SPGP. George, K. Leonard (1.5)
A. Davis (2.0)BPGI. Zubac (1.3)
W. Gabriel (.596)/L. James (11.0)FG%/FGMM. Plumlee (.711)/K. Leonard (8.6)
D. Russell (.398)/M. Beasley (2.6)3P%/3PME. Gordon (.447)/P. George (2.8)

Injury Report

PlayerTeamDateStatusInfo
Mo BambaLos Angeles Lakers09 Mar 2023Out (Ankle)Bamba suffered a high left ankle sprain and will be evaluated at a future date.
Anthony DavisLos Angeles Lakers03 Apr 2023Day to Day (Foot)Davis was PROBABLE for the Lakers' Tuesday (Apr 4) game.
LeBron JamesLos Angeles Lakers 03 Apr 2023 Day to Day (Foot) James was QUESTIONABLE for the Lakers' Tuesday (Apr 4) game.
D'Angelo RussellLos Angeles Lakers 03 Apr 2023 Day to Day (Foot) Russell was PROBABLE for the Lakers' Tuesday (Apr 4) game.
Paul GeorgeLA Clippers22 Mar 2023Out (Leg)George suffered a sprained knee and will be re-evaluated at a later date.
Brandon Boston Jr.LA Clippers31 Mar 2023Out (Tailbone)Boston Jr. has no timetable for his return.
Marcus MorrisLA Clippers01 Apr 2023Day to Day (Illness)Morris was OUT for LA's Friday (Mar 31) game.

Spread: Los Angeles Lakers +3.0 (-110) @ DraftKings Sportsbook

Earn up to $1000 in deposit bonuses when you sign-up at DraftKings Sportsbook!

The Los Angeles Lakers and LA Clippers continue to jockey for position in the Western Conference playoff picture. Ranked seventh in the Western Conference with a 41-38 record, the Los Angeles Lakers are trying to break into the top six in order to avoid Play-In Tournament position. The LA Clippers are fifth in the West with a 41-38 overall record, but they have just a half-game lead over the Lakers in the Western Conference table.

The Los Angeles Lakers' offense drives their success, averaging 116.7 points per game (8th in the NBA) on 48.1% efficiency (10th in the NBA) while getting to the free throw line 26.7 times per game (1st in the NBA). The Lakers' offense has been engaged through their last ten games, averaging 117.8 points per game on 49.3% shooting from the field on a plus-7.8 points differential.

The LA Clippers don't impress in any individual statistic, but they're a solid three-and-D team that allows just 112.9 points per game (13th in the NBA) while hitting 12.8 threes (10th in the NBA) on 38.2% efficiency (3rd in the NBA) themselves. Through their last ten games, the Clippers have averaged 116.9 points per game on 50.9% from the field and 42.0% from three - despite going just 5-5 through that run.

Despite being on the second leg of a back-to-back, we're taking the Los Angeles Lakers in this matchup. As they aim to compete for a position in the top six, the Lakers' recent impressive form should help carry them over the Clippers. Despite leading the season series 3-0, the Lakers' two-way form will carry them through.

Key Players & Stats

Anthony Davis has almost single-handedly lifted the Lakers into playoff contention, averaging 33.6 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks on 67.4% from the field and 25.0% from three through his last five matches. On the season, he's averaging 26.6 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks through 52 contests. With Los Angeles going 6-2 through Davis' last eight games since returning from injury, the Lakers will need him to remain productive to stay in the playoff picture.

Kawhi Leonard may not be playing in many games, but he has remained impactful when available, averaging 23.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.9 assists on 51.3% from the field and 41.8% from the three-point range. Averaging a modest 19.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 2.5 assists against the Lakers this season, Leonard must maintain his high output to take down the surging Lakers. In his last game, Leonard is coming off a 40-point, eight-rebound, four-assist performance in an eight-point loss to the New Orleans Pelicans.

How to Watch Los Angeles Lakers vs LA Clippers

  • Where: crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, California
  • When: 10:00 PM EST, Wednesday, April 5, 2023
  • How to Watch: ESPN
  • Streaming: NBA League Pass
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER 21+ must be physically located in VA. T&Cs Apply.
Claim Now
Christian Jope WSN Contributors

Christian Jope

NBA Betting Analyst

Expertise:
NBA
Betting Picks
Christian Jope is a writer, social media strategist, and data analyst. A Queen’s University Alumni, Christian is an author and social media strategist with Raptors Cage, while also working closely with MLSE and Canada Basketball through community-driven events.
Email: [email protected]
Nationality: Canadian
Education: Bachelor of Arts (Applied Economics)
Favourite Sportsbook: FanDuel Sportsbook
Favourite Casino: BetMGM Casino
Experience: 6 years
We've been featured on:
espn logo
reuters logo
cbs-news logo
forbes logo
entrepreneur logo
entrepreneur logo
We only list licensed sportsbooks
WorldSportsNetwork
WorldSportsNetwork
WorldSportsNetwork
WorldSportsNetwork
WorldSportsNetwork
Co2neutral

We support responsible gambling. Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly. If you need help, call 1-800-Gambler.

WSN.com is managed by Gentoo Media. Unless declared otherwise, all of the visible content on this site, such as texts and images, including the brand name and logo, belongs to Innovation Labs Limited (a Gentoo Media company) - Company Registration Number C44130, VAT ID: MT18874732, @GIG Beach Triq id-Dragunara, St. Julians, STJ3148, Malta.

Advertising Disclosure: WSN.com contains links to partner websites. When a visitor to our website clicks on one of these links and makes a purchase at a partner site, World Sports Network is paid a commission.

Copyright © 2024