Red-hot L.A. Clippers host Struggling Philadelphia 76ers
When the L.A. Clippers and Philadelphia 76ers last met, the Clippers were finishing up a difficult road trip just before heading into the All-Star break. Philadelphia — led by Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, who each scored 26 points — would go on to win 103-110, and L.A. would head on to Boston with a sour taste in its mouth.
In a lot of ways, the loss was predictable. The Clippers were without Patrick Beverley, and Paul George didn't seem 100% at the time. Philadelphia is one of the league's best teams at home, too. The Sixers currently have the best home record in the NBA at 28-2.
That said, the Clippers should have a good chance to even up the season series when they host Philadelphia this afternoon at 12:30 p.m. Pacific time. L.A. is a 12-point favorite, according to Odds Shark.
There are two big reasons for that. First is Philly's record away from its home city: Despite being so dominant there, the 76ers are just 9-21 on the road this season, which is among the worst in the league. Couple that with the Clippers' 24-6 record at STAPLES Center, and you'll see that this game favors L.A. from the jump.
The other has to do with Philadelphia's health. Both Simmons and Embiid, the two players that crushed the Clippers last time out, are out this afternoon due to injury.
The Sixers are a completely different team without them. Embiid first suffered his injury on Wednesday, roughly eight minutes into the first quarter of a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Cleveland would go on to win by 14. The day after, Philadelphia squeaked by the New York Knicks at home, 106-115.
Of course, the Sixers aren't a "bad" team without its two stars. Philadelphia still has Tobias Harris, Al Horford and Josh Richardson to fall back on, a trio that combined for 60 points in Philly's win over New York. Shake Milton has also provided some solid numbers in place of Simmons, averaging 15.8 points and converting three-pointers at a 71.4% rate over his last four contests.
But no team has been able to match the Clippers' recent streak of dominance, and it doesn't seem like the 76ers will be the ones to do it.
L.A. has won three games in a row against the Memphis Grizzlies, Phoenix Suns and Denver Nuggets by an average margin of 22 points. The Clippers' health has been a big reason for that — George and Beverley are back in the rotation, Kawhi Leonard is playing the best ball of his career, and new additions Marcus Morris and Reggie Jackson have fit in almost seamlessly.
The Clippers still need to take Philadelphia seriously, but the intensity hasn't been an issue for L.A. lately like it was to begin the season. Memphis and Phoenix both have records below .500, but the Clippers didn't play down to either opponent in their wins last week.
So long as the Clippers continue to bring it on both sides of the ball, they should roll to a fourth-straight win to begin the month of March.
