Preview: San Antonio Spurs vs. Los Angeles Clippers – Game #33
Victor Wembanyama will try to defeat the Clippers tonight (Photo via X)
The San Antonio Spurs will try to avoid falling under .500 when they take on the Los Angeles Clippers tonight in the Frost Bank Center. The Spurs, with a record of 16-16, are currently tied with the Golden State Warriors at the ninth spot in the Western Conference. Meanwhile, the Clippers (19-13) are sitting in the fifth seed in the West.
San Antonio is coming off of a four-game road trip in which they had a record of 1-3. While that doesn’t look good, it includes two close losses to a pair of quality teams in the New York Knicks and the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Spurs had a chance to beat the Timberwolves on Sunday but missed a three-point shot just before the final buzzer.
The Clippers have played very good basketball recently. They’ve won five of their last six games. In their previous five contests, Norman Powell has led the team in scoring. During that stretch, he has averaged 23.6 points per game.
Kawhi Leonard Remains Out for Clippers
Kawhi Leonard has yet to play a game for the Clippers this season. For that reason, the team’s 19-13 record is a bit of a surprise.
Recently on social media, Leonard announced that he was returning to action soon. However, he won’t make his debut tonight against the Spurs. According to reports, Leonard is targeting Saturday’s game against the Atlanta Hawks.
Last season, the former Spurs forward led the Clippers in scoring at an average of 23.7 points per game. That was the lowest scoring mark of his career since leaving San Antonio in a trade that sent him to the Toronto Raptors.
San Antonio Spurs Starting Lineup
The Spurs continue to have an empty injury list. For that reason, their starting lineup is easy to predict. Acting head coach Mitch Johnson is very likely to start Victor Wembanyama at center, Jeremy Sochan at power forward, Harrison Barnes at small forward, Devin Vassell at shooting guard and Chris Paul at point guard.
Victor Wembanyama’s December to Remember
Wembanyama is having a fantastic month of December. Across 11 games, the 20-year-old is averaging 28.6 points, 10.1 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 4.5 blocks. For the month, he’s shooting 48.2% from the field, 38.9% from three-point range and 89.1% at the free throw line.
The sophomore has played much better than his rookie season. Compared to last season, Wembanyama is averaging more than four more points per game while shooting better than two percent from the field, better than four percent better from three-point territory and better than eight percent at the line.
Betting Guide: Spurs vs. Clippers
The Spurs are favored by four points and the over/under is 217.5 points. The Clippers are on a second game of a back-to-back in which they expended a lot of energy to beat the Pelicans in New Orleans. The Spurs, on the other hand, are rested. Add in the fact that San Antonio is at home and the smart money is on the Spurs to win by five or more points.