LA Clippers vs Portland Trail Blazers Prediction & Picks - NBA

Prediction published on 1/16/25, 3:24 AM  by Erik Gibbs | Modified on 1/16/25 at 3:29 AM in NBA Picks

The Portland Trail Blazers will host the Los Angeles Clippers tonight at Moda Center, with both teams looking to gain momentum as they navigate challenging stretches of their respective seasons. The teams have already faced each other twice this season in Los Angeles, splitting the series 1-1. The Clippers secured a dominant 127-105 victory in their first encounter, while the Trail Blazers bounced back with a narrow 106-105 win in the second meeting. Overall, the Clippers have had the upper hand in recent matchups, winning eight of their last ten games against Portland. The Trail Blazers are trying to snap a three-game losing streak, while the Clippers aim to build on back-to-back wins, including an emphatic victory last night. Portland (13-26) remains near the bottom of the Western Conference standings and is enduring a tough stretch, having lost six of their last eight games. They were handed a 132-114 defeat by the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday, marking their third consecutive loss. In that game, rookie Scoot Henderson shone with a career-high 39 points, including eight 3-pointers, along with six assists. Toumani Camara added 23 points, while Shaedon Sharpe contributed 21 on efficient shooting. However, the Blazers’ defense struggled, allowing 40 points in the first quarter and failing to recover as the Nets outscored them 66-53 in the second half. Offensively, the Trail Blazers average 108.4 points per game, ranking 25th in the league. They shoot 44.9% from the field (22nd) and 34.1% from three-point range (27th). Defensively, they allow 116.8 points per game, ranking 24th in the NBA. At home, however, they have shown glimpses of improvement, with a better record than on the road.