Sean Barnard details his preview and prediction for Monday’s Philadelphia 76ers vs. Los Angeles Clippers NBA matchup.

Closing down tonight’s quiet four-game NBA slate, the Philadelphia 76ers will take on the Los Angeles Clippers.

This marks the second matchup between these two cross-conference opponents this season. The first took in place in Philadelphia on November 17, which resulted in a narrow 110-108 Sixers win. This also marks the first of five games on Philadelphia’s West Coast trip, and is the second night of a back-to-back for Los Angeles.

Looking at the odds for tonight’s game, the Clippers are narrow 1.5-point favorites and hold -130 odds on the Moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook. The 76ers are +110 underdogs with the game total set at 220.5 points.

This article will look at a preview and prediction for the Monday night matchup.

76ers vs. Clippers prediction, preview

The Philadelphia 76ers hold a 27-21 record on the season and sit in sixth place in the Eastern Conference. Their outlook took a bit of a hit in recent days following the news that Paul George has been suspended for 25 games due to a violation of the league’s drug policy. This also takes away a bit of the luster from tonight’s matchup as George will be unavailable to face his former team. Nonetheless, the Sixers enter this matchup with the momentum of a three-game winning streak. Philadelphia has gone 27-21 against the spread, and the game total has gone over in 25 of 48 games played.

Joel Embiid is listed as probable for tonight’s matchup with an ankle injury and is the only name on the injury report. Embiid has looked closer to his MVP self than seemed possible coming into the season, posting averages of 26.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.9 assists. Tyrese Maxey has ascended into a legitimate star in his own right, adding 29.2 points, 6.9 assists and 4.2 rebounds per game. Third-overall pick V.J. Edgecombe has made a seamless transition to the NBA and has been a perfect fit as the glue of this Sixers team. The Baylor product is averaging 15.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game on the year. Kelly Oubre Jr., Quentin Grimes, Dominick Barlow, and Jared McCain each play notable roles.

Philadelphia is averaging the 12th-most points in the NBA at 116.7 per contest. The Sixers rank 13th in offensive rating, 24th in field goal percentage, 15th in three-point percentage, and 19th in pace. Defensively, opponents are scoring 115.8 points per game against the Sixers, which ranks 17th in the league. They rank 15th in defensive rating, 15th in opponent field goal percentage, and 10th in opponent three-point percentage.

The Los Angeles Clippers are 23-25 this season and have climbed to ninth place in the Western Conference. After getting out to a 6-21 start to the season, they have managed to go 17-4 since to get back in the postseason mix. This includes winning 10 of their last 12 entering tonight. On the season, Los Angeles has gone 24-24 against the spread, and the game total has gone under in 25 of 48 games played.

This marks the second half of a back-to-back for the Clippers after they defeated the Suns yesterday. James Harden sat out yesterday’s game, while Kawhi Leonard suited up. Bradley Beal and Derrick Jones Jr. remain sidelined, the former with what was a season-ending injury.

Neither Leonard nor Harden was given an All-Star game nod despite the recent level of play from the team and their performances all season. Leonard is averaging a career-high 27.6 points along with 6.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists. Harden is posting averages of 25.2 points, 8.1 assists and 4.8 rebounds, successfully running this Los Angeles offense. Ivica Zubac continues to improve, adding 14.5 points and 11.0 rebounds, while John Collins has made a positive impact as well. Bogdan Bogdanovic, Brook Lopez, Kris Dunn, and Jordan Miller also play important roles on this team.

The Clippers average 112.7 points per game, which ranks 25th in the NBA. They rank 11th in offensive rating, seventh in team field goal percentage, 10th in team three-point percentage, and 29th in the league in pace. Defensively, opponents are scoring the ninth-fewest points per game at 112.6. Los Angeles also ranks 20th in defensive rating, 13th in opponent field goal percentage, and 25th in opponent three-point percentage.

76ers at Clippers pick, best bet

This is a much different Clippers team than from the first time these two teams faced off. The Sixers’ victory in that matchup dropped Los Angeles to 4-10 on the season, and the outlook got worse over the following weeks. While the Clippers deserve massive credit for their season turnaround, this is not a spot in which I like them in the matchup.

Tonight will mark the first home game after a three-game road trip for Los Angeles. The Clips defeated the Phoenix Suns last night and will return to play a Sixers team playing the first half of back-to-back matchups. The Clippers are 3-4 against the spread this season when playing with no rest and 7-9 against the spread as home favorites.

In contrast, the Sixers have gone 9-5 against the spread this season when they have the rest advantage, and 14-6 against the spread record in away games. The addition of V.J. Edgecombe has provided a jolt of youthful energy to go along with Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain, and Quentin Grimes. Philadelphia is still capable of leaning on Joel Embiid for offensive success in the half-court. But the ability to play at a more up-tempo pace and get out in transition is an important contrast.

Expect this to pay dividends tonight against an aging Clippers roster. Los Angeles is at its best when leaning on a half-court game plan and playing at a methodical pace. Expect Philadelphia to be capable of speeding their opponent up and creating some free transition points. The pace of this game will play a major role in crowning the victor, so expect some tired legs to show face for the veteran Clippers squad on the second night of a back-to-back and for Philadelphia to get off to a strong start to its road trip.

Best Bet: 76ers Moneyline (+110)