LA Clippers (19-7) at Minnesota (10-14)
When: Friday, December 13th, 2019
Where: Target Center,
Minneapolis, MN
Time: 9:35 ET | TV: ESPN
Opening Odds: Los Angeles -5/230
The Minnesota Timberwolves have hit a rough patch of late and part of their problem is winning at home. While they have a 7-6 road record, the team is near the bottom of the league with a 3-8 mark at Target Center and things don’t get any easier on Friday night when they entertain Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers on ESPN. The T’Wolves have lost six games in a row and have failed to cover in all of them and they also own a six-game home losing streak with some of those setbacks coming against the league’s worst. After an 0-4 road trip in which they lost all games by seven points or more, Minnesota returned home on Wednesday and got blown out by Utah 127-116 thanks to a third quarter where they were outscored 38-24. The Clippers are trending in the other direction with wins in five of their last six and are currently 3-1 on their six-game road trip that concludes Saturday in Chicago. Leonard made his return to Toronto and received his NBA championship ring prior to Wednesday’s game and then scored 24 points as the Clippers routed the Raptors 112-92. Leonard was NBA Finals MVP while leading the Raptors to last season’s title and he looked strong against Toronto after missing Monday’s game against the Indiana Pacers due to left knee soreness – or ‘load management’ if you want to call it what it really is. Minnesota won six meetings in a row before the Clippers took two of three last season, going 2-1 ATS.
Sixth man Lou Williams bounced back from one of his worst outing of the season against Toronto, recording 18 points, eight assists and six rebounds after making just 2-of-19 shots in the win over the Pacers. Williams has scored fewer than 20 points in five consecutive games to drop his season average to 19.9 a contest. Forward Paul George (13 points on 3-of-14 shooting) and Montrezl Harrell (10 points on 3-of-9 shooting) were awful in Wednesday win, but the defense held Toronto to just 35.2 percent shooting including 8-of-36 from beyond the arc. Point guard Patrick Beverley, who suffered a concussion against Toronto, is unlikely to play on Friday.
Minnesota can’t stop anyone on the defensive end, allowing 121 points or more in their last five games and are 27th in the league in that category (117.8). Although they score 114.6 points a game (seventh), they shoot just 44.5 percent from the field and 33.3 from beyond the arc – both near the bottom of the league. Point guard Jeff Teague scored a season-best 32 points off the bench to lead Minnesota on Wednesday after being ruled questionable for the contest due to a left ankle injury. Small forward Andrew Wiggins chipped in 26 points on 11-of-23 shooting and is second on the team behind Karl-Anthony Towns (25.9) with a 24.6 average.
The Timberwolves are not playing any defense rigth now and the Clippers are the last team they want to see. L.A. has been rolling right along and I think they get the job done here.
Check out who Bobby Babowski has on his Free NBA Picks page for Friday. He is 29-20-2 on the season!
Pick: Clippers -5
Clippers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games as a favorite.
Clippers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games playing on 1 days rest.
Clippers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
Clippers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
Clippers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
Clippers are 21-9 ATS in their last 30 games as a road favorite.
Clippers are 0-7 ATS in their last 7 Friday games.
Timberwolves are 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Timberwolves are 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
Timberwolves are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points.
Timberwolves are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
Timberwolves are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
Timberwolves are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games after allowing more than 125 points in their previous game.
Timberwolves are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS loss.
Timberwolves are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
Timberwolves are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
Timberwolves are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up loss.
Timberwolves are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games as an underdog.
Timberwolves are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 home games.
Under is 4-0 in Clippers last 4 games following a ATS win.
Under is 5-0 in Clippers last 5 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
Under is 5-0 in Clippers last 5 games following a straight up win.
Under is 4-0 in Clippers last 4 games following a straight up win of more than 10 points.
Under is 4-1 in Clippers last 5 overall.
Over is 4-1 in Clippers last 5 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.
Under is 4-1 in Clippers last 5 road games.
Over is 7-3 in Clippers last 10 games as a road favorite.
Over is 20-9 in Clippers last 29 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of less than .400.
Over is 5-0 in Timberwolves last 5 overall.
Over is 5-0 in Timberwolves last 5 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
Over is 6-0 in Timberwolves last 6 games following a ATS loss.
Over is 4-0 in Timberwolves last 4 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
Over is 5-0 in Timberwolves last 5 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
Over is 6-0 in Timberwolves last 6 games following a straight up loss.
Over is 4-0 in Timberwolves last 4 games as an underdog.
Over is 5-1 in Timberwolves last 6 Friday games.
Under is 4-1 in Timberwolves last 5 games following a double-digit loss at home.
Over is 4-1 in Timberwolves last 5 games playing on 1 days rest.
Under is 4-1 in Timberwolves last 5 home games.
Over is 7-2 in Timberwolves last 9 games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points.
Over is 40-19 in Timberwolves last 59 games after allowing more than 125 points in their previous game.
Clippers are 12-4-1 ATS in the last 17 meetings in Minnesota.
Over is 6-1 in the last 7 meetings.
Over is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings in Minnesota.
