Golden State Warriors vs LA Clippers prediction and combined starting 5 featuring Stephen Curry and Kawhi Leonard - March 11th, 2021
The Golden State Warriors and the LA Clippers will meet for the third and final time in the 2020-21 NBA regular season at the Staples Center on Thursday.
Both teams are on three-game losing runs. But the inconsistent Golden State Warriors have had some impressive wins this campaign, including one against the LA Lakers at home on January 8th.
However, the LA Clippers and the Golden State Warriors are tied at one win apiece against each other this season.
Golden State Warriors vs LA Clippers prediction - March 11th, 2021
The Golden State Warriors are 19-18 in the current campaign and look good for a playoff place. Steve Kerr's team have a 5-5 record in their last ten outings, which includes losses in their last three.
Meanwhile, Tyronn Lue's LA Clippers are 24-14 on the season and are fourth in a stacked Western Conference. Their recent five-game road trip has seen them slip out of the top three, as they won only one of their five outings.
Despite being inconsistent, especially in their recent games, the LA Clippers are fourth in Net Rating and have the third-best offense in the league this season. Meanwhile, the Golden State Warriors are 22nd in Offensive Rating but have been good enough in defense (sixth in Defensive Rating).
The upcoming duel between the two teams could be a competitive affair, but the LA Clippers will fancy a win at home. Nevertheless, Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors can be counted out at one's own peril.
On that note, let's have a look at a hypothetical combined starting five of the two teams.
Golden State Warriors vs LA Clippers combined starting 5 - March 11th, 2021
Stephen Curry has been arguably the only bright spot in the Golden State Warriors' offense this season, producing stellar performances on a nightly basis. Though he's had some rough shooting nights, Curry has put up big numbers more often than not.
The two-time MVP is averaging 29 points, six assists and five rebounds this season, doing so with 48/41/93 shooting splits.
In his last outing against the LA Clippers, Curry led the Golden State Warriors to a solid win by scoring 38 points and dishing out 11 assists.
Though Kawhi Leonard has missed eight games this season, he has been tremendous for the LA Clippers. The two-time Finals MVP is averaging 26 points and six rebounds and is matching his career high with 4.9 assists per game this campaign. He has also been efficient from the floor and has posted a 51/39/87 shooting split so far.
Paul George has also been shooting the ball with efficiency this campaign. Though he's had some poor outings for the LA Clippers, George is at an elite level right now.
PG13 is averaging 23.7 points, six rebounds and five assists per game so far while producing 49/45/89 shooting splits. George missed the LA Clippers' final game before the All-Star break because of dizziness, but he did play in the All-Star Game.
Another player who did not participate in his team's final game before the All-Star weekend is Draymond Green. He is listed as 'day to day' because of ankle issues but could feature against the LA Lakers. Green is performing well for the Golden State Warriors in defense this campaign - helping the team to be sixth in Defensive Rating - while also being the team leader in assists per game with 8.6.
Serge Ibaka has been the LA Clippers' big presence in the paint, even though he has played only 24 minutes per game. Nevertheless, he is averaging 11 points and seven rebounds this season, and his numbers could go up with more playing minutes on the court.
Apart from being his team's best rim-protector, Ibaka has also been efficient in offense, posting 51/36/82 shooting splits so far.