NBA Betting: Griffin Faces Former Teammates
Just over a week after shipping Blake Griffin out of town, the Los Angeles Clippers meet up with him this weekend when they journey to Detroit to face the Pistons.
Los Angeles is surviving without Griffin, having won four of its last five both straight up and against the spread. The Clippers have also been strong on the road lately, at 5-1 SU and ATS in their last six.
Detroit has been rolling since Griffin came to town, winning its last five games. It hasn’t meant immediate success for bettors, though, as the Pistons are 2-3 ATS during their winning streak, and 2-8 ATS in their last 10.
The Clippers and Pistons last clashed in October when Griffin was still with Los Angeles. The Pistons won 95-87 as an 8.5-point road underdog at Bovada Sportsbook. However, the matchup trends at Detroit favor the Clippers. In their last seven games in Detroit, the Clippers are 6-1 SU and 4-2-1 ATS.
The Clippers’ Friday game is the first half of a back-to-back, as they get the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday. In the second half of a back-to-back this season, Los Angeles is awful at 1-6 SU and 3-4 ATS.
It’s also the second part of a back-to-back for the 76ers, as they face the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday. Philadelphia is also lousy in the second half of a back-to-back this season at 1-6 SU and 1-5-1 ATS.
Philadelphia heads into the weekend having won five straight at home SU and ATS. However, in the 76ers’ last 12 vs the Clippers, they’re 2-10 SU and 4-8 ATS.
Also in line for a busy weekend are the Boston Celtics. Boston has three games in four days, taking on the Wizards in Washington on Thursday before getting home games against the Indiana Pacers on Friday and the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday.
Heading into Thursday night, the Celtics are 4-1 SU in their last five and 6-1 ATS in their last seven. At home, they’ve won three in a row both SU and ATS.
Indiana hasn’t played since Monday after a Wednesday game against New Orleans was postponed due to a roof leak. Against the Celtics this season the Pacers are 0-2 SU and 1-1 ATS. They’ve lost five straight SU vs the Celtics, while going 1-4 ATS.
Following their trade flurry, the Cavaliers take on the Atlanta Hawks on Friday before their Sunday showdown with Boston. Cleveland snapped a four-game ATS losing streak last time out but is still only 3-13 ATS in its last 16 games.
The last time Boston and Cleveland clashed in January, the Celtics rolled to a 102-88 win as a 3-point home favorite. Despite that loss, Cleveland is still 4-1 SU and ATS in its last five games in Boston.