OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER VS. LA CLIPPERS – ODDS & PREDICTIONS FOR JANUARY 16, 2024 

Greetings, basketball fans. Welcome back to our NBA coverage here at Latest Basketball News. One of the games on tap from Tuesday’s slate features the Oklahoma City Thunder (27-12 SU, 26-12-1 ATS) taking on the LA Clippers (25-14 SU, 20-19 ATS).

Here is a look at which team has the edge going into this matchup and why.

Tipoff

When: Tuesday, January 16, 2024
Time: 10:00 PM ET
Where: Crypto.com Arena
Location: Los Angeles, CA
TV: TNT

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. LA Clippers Odds (Via DraftKings)

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. LA Clippers – Regular Season Stats & Betting Trends

Will The Thunder Fall To Another LA Team On Consecutive Nights?

OKC Thunder Season Stats:

• Scoring Offense: 122.1 PPG – 3RD      
• Offensive Efficiency: 121.0 points per 100 possessions – 4TH       
• Scoring Defense: 113.3 PPG – 14TH       
• Defensive Efficiency: 112.3 points per 100 possessions – 6TH  

The OKC Thunder enter this matchup with a 7-3 record over their last 10 outings. This includes a 112-100 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night.

Jalen Williams scored a team-high 25 points, handed out six assists, and grabbed three rebounds. Kawhi Leonard – who was playing with a knee sprain – added 24 points (including 16 in the first half) to go along with six assists and three rebounds. 

The Thunder shot 41.7 percent from the field and 30.6 percent from beyond the arc. 

“I thought (the Lakers) had a good plan,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said, via ESPN. “They did a really good job of game-planning and execution. They deserved to win. We did not shoot the ball great. We didn’t generate a great rhythm offensively. Some of that was them, some of that was us, so it was certainly not our best game, but certainly something to learn from.”

The Thunder have lost only four times in their last 16 contests. The Lakers are responsible for two of those four losses. In addition to facing the Clippers on Tuesday night, OKC will also play against the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Utah Jazz to close out a four-game road trip.

It will be interesting to see how the Thunder fare against a Clippers team that is playing extremely well after a poor start. 

Can The Clippers Bounce Back From A Disappointing Loss To Minnesota?

LA Clippers Season Stats:

• Scoring Offense: 117.4 PPG – 9TH   
• Offensive Efficiency: 119.9 points per 100 possessions – 6TH      
• Scoring Defense: 111.9 PPG – 10TH    
• Defensive Efficiency: 114.3 points per 100 possessions – 13TH   

On the other side of this matchup, the Clippers have the fourth-best record in the Western Conference. Additionally, they have posted eight wins in their last 10 decisions. This includes a 109-105 loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night.

Kawhi Leonard paced the Clippers’ scoring attack with 26 points, nine rebounds, four assists, and a pair of steals. Paul George added 16 points, four rebounds, and three assists. 

“We just didn’t have the smartest game today,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said after the game. “Ant was a monster. Rudy was huge for ’em. They played well.”

Both the Thunder and the Clippers are looking to get back into the win column following losses in their previous outings. 

Now that we have set the table for this matchup, let us closely examine the all-important betting trends for both sides.

The Picks

The Spread

The Clippers opened as a 5.5-point favorite. At the time of this writing, the line has not changed. 

Here is a look at how both teams have fared against the spread this season. 

• The Thunder are 11-5 ATS in their last 16 games.
• Oklahoma City is 8-2 ATS in their last 10 matchups against the Clippers.
• The Thunder are 14-6 ATS in their last 20 January games.
• The Clippers are 6-3 ATS in their last nine games.
• Los Angeles is 8-3 ATS in its last 11 matchups against Western Conference opponents.
• The Clippers are 6-13 ATS in their last 19 games against teams in the Northwest division.

Based on the above trends, going with the road team to cover the spread looks smart.

Prediction: Oklahoma City Thunder (+5.5)

Over/Under

The projected over/under total for this matchup opened at 236.5 points. At this time of this writing, the line has moved slightly to 237 points (via pre-game.com). Here is why going with the “OVER” is the smart choice. 

• The total has gone OVER four times in OKC’s last five road contests.

• The OVER total has hit seven times for the Thunder in their last eight matchups against Pacific Division opponents.

• The total has gone OVER four times in the Clippers’ last five games against Oklahoma City.

• The OVER total has won four times in the last six instances the Clippers were playing as the favorite, which is the case in this matchup. 

Prediction: OVER 237 points

Prop Bets

The key player to watch for the road team is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He currently has -110 odds of scoring more than 30.5 points and -120 odds of finishing with less than 30.5 points. Here is a closer look at how his numbers compare to the projected points total for this matchup. 

• On the season, Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 31.3 points per outing. 
• In 18 road games, he is averaging 31.4 PPG.
• SGA has played against Western Conference teams 23 times this season. In those contests, he is averaging 30.0 points per outing.
• In four Tuesday night games this season, he is averaging 32.5 points per contest.
• During January, Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 31.9 PPG. 
• Over his last 10 outings, he is averaging 31.9 points per outing, exceeding the projected points total for this matchup seven times during that stretch. 

Prediction: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander OVER 30.5 points

The key player to watch for the home team is Kawhi Leonard. He currently has -115 odds of scoring more than 25.5 points and -115 odds of finishing with less than 25.5 points. Let us look to see if his numbers favorably compare with the projected point total for this matchup. 

• On the season, Leonard is averaging 24.0 points per outing, 
• In 17 home games, he is averaging 22.7 PPG.
• Leonard has played against Western Conference teams 28 times this season. In those contests, he is averaging 24.3 points per outing.
• During January, Leonard is averaging 22.8 PPG. 
• Over his last 10 outings, he is averaging 21.4 points per outing, exceeding the projected points total for this matchup five times during that stretch. 

Based on the above trends, going with the “under” for Leonard is the better choice here.

Prediction: Kawhi Leonard UNDER 25.5 points

James’s Oklahoma City Thunder vs. LA Clippers Picks

• The Spread: OKC Thunder (+5.5)
  
• Over/Under: Over 237 points
• Player Prop Bet #1: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander OVER 30.5 points
• Player Prop Bet #2: Kawhi Leonard Under 25.5 points