Oklahoma City Thunder (35-36) vs. Los Angeles Clippers (38-34)
The 2022-23 NBA season continues on Tuesday, March 21, 2023, when the Oklahoma City Thunder travel to take on the Los Angeles Clippers in this Western Conference clash at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California. The Clippers enter as a 7.0-point favorite but the total was not set at the time that this analysis was written.
These teams have played twice the season, with the Thunder winning both contests, both of which were in Oklahoma City. The Clippers were the favorite in both those contests with the total set at 218.0 in the first matchup and 218.5 in the second. The second matchup went over.
The Oklahoma City Thunder (35-36, 42-26-3 ATS) defeated the Phoenix Suns on Sunday, 124-120. It was the seventh victory in the last nine contests for Oklahoma City who have surged to the eighth spot in the Western Conference standings, 0.5 games behind the Golden State Warriors and 0.5 games ahead of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Oklahoma City is 13-21 on the road this season.
“I just thought he didn’t have his normal jugular-type mentality on his drives (in the second quarter),” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “And he got back to that in the second half and really put pressure on them. That gets the fouls going.”
Fueled by defensive momentum ?? pic.twitter.com/UhjikS JE7g
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) March 20, 2023
Phoenix held a 12-point advantage heading into the half, but Oklahoma City cut the deficit in half in the third quarter and rolled in the fourth, earning the four-point victory. The Thunder shot 50.0% from the field and were 29-36 from the free-throw line. That proved to be the difference in the game, as Phoenix was just 17-24 from the line. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 40 points off 12-24 shooting, including going 16-19 from the free-throw line.
Oklahoma City is third in points per game (117.9), and they have scored at least 121 points in two of their last three games. However, they have been below that mark over the last five, recording 113.6 points per game off 44.2% shooting. The club is averaging 114.4 points per game on the road while allowing 117.4 per game.
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