LA Clippers vs Portland Trail Blazers Prediction & Betting Tips - NBA

Prediction published on 25/10/2023, 08:44  by Joseph King | Modified on 25/10/2023 at 09:18 in NBA Predictions

The final game of a packed Wednesday night of NBA action sees the Los Angeles Clippers and Portland Trail Blazers making their season debuts. The Clippers are a curious case as it seems that they have been flying under the radar heading into the new season. The betting market looks to have finally cooled off on the Clippers after years of having them as one of the top title contending teams. Their average odds to win the title sit at around the 20.00 mark, placing them at roughly the eighth-favorites currently. However, this team still has plenty of talent on the roster and will have a healthy Kawhi Leonard and Paul George starting the season together. The big question around this squad will be whether or not they can stay healthy for the majority of the season and into the playoffs. Los Angeles finished last season with a record of 44 wins and 38 losses for the fifth-seed in the West. They would ultimately be sent home in the first round of the playoffs by the Phoenix Suns.

The Damian Lillard era is officially over in Portland after 11 years "Dame time." The Trail Blazers now hand the reins over to their young backcourt of Afernee Simons and rookie Scoot Henderson to lead the team forward in the coming years. Despite trading away the face of their franchise over the past decade, this Portland team isn’t in complete “blow it up and rebuild” mode. They have a capable roster and some decent pieces with the likes of newly acquired DeAndre Ayton at center, Jerami Grant at forward, Malcolm Brogdan and defensive stopper Matisse Thybulle. Not to mention the explosive offensive talent of fifth-year Simons and Scoot Henderson who spent a year in the G-League instead of university.