LA Clippers vs Golden State Warriors Prediction & Match Preview - October 21st, 2021 | NBA Season 2021-22
The LA Clippers begin their 2021-22 NBA season with a road game at Chase Center as they take on the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night.
The Warriors started their campaign with a win against the LA Lakers on Tuesday.
Match Details
Fixture - LA Clippers vs Golden State Warriors | NBA Season 2021-22.
Date & Time - Thursday, October 21st, 2021; 10:00 PM ET (Friday, October 22nd, 7:30 AM IST).
Venue - Chase Center, San Francisco, CA.
LA Clippers Preview
Kawhi Leonard's injury in the second round of the 2021 NBA playoffs is a huge blow to the LA Clippers. Although Paul George and co. carried the team until Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals, they are no longer one of the favorites in the West.
Leonard tore his ACL and might return around May 2021, if he does so at all this season. Many analysts, such as Skip Bayless from Undisputed on Fox Sports, believe that the Clippers have a legitimate shot at the title as long as Leonard returns before the postseason begins.
For this particular game against the Golden State Warriors, the LA Clippers will have to find something extra from the bench as a lot of players are injured.
The Warriors play with heavy ball movement and incredible IQ. They cannot afford to be lackadaisical on defense and will need to blitz Stephen Curry each time he gets the ball.
The LA Clippers feature a ton of injuries, so winning this game might be tough.
Hi, Hello
The Clippers are missing A LOT of people for opening night.
OUT:
Nicolas Batum - personal reasons
Serge Ibaka - low back rehab
Keon Johnson - illness
Kawhi Leonard - ACL rehab
Jason Preston - right foot injury
Have a nice day!
Key Player - Paul George
A lot of attention is on Paul George right now as he attempts to single-handedly sustain the LA Clippers' regular season. He needs to play at an MVP level every night in order to carry this injury-riddled Clippers team.
In an exclusive interview with Andrew Grief of the LA Times, the 31-year-old admitted that he doesn't care what other people think of him.
Paul George goes off on his haters
“I don't give a shit. That's just how I attack the court now. Like I said, I don't need validation. …90 percent of the people who are critiquing me can't do what I do.”
(Via LA Times) https://t.co/GiJnOPGfjA
George will certainly be a key player in Thursday's game against the Golden State Warriors.
LA Clippers Predicted Lineup
G - Reggie Jackson | G - Eric Bledsoe | F - Paul George | F - Marcus Morris Sr. | C - Ivica Zubac
Golden State Warriors Preview
The Golden State Warriors are coming off a narrow victory against the LA Lakers on opening night. Star talisman Stephen Curry shot poorly from the field, and the team was without the services of Klay Thompson and James Wiseman.
However, the Warriors still managed to grab a victory on the road and survived a combined 67-point outing from LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Nemanja Bjelica was phenomenal off the bench, contributing 15 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists and a steal. Jordan Poole also had an excellent outing, and his fourth-quarter scoring helped fuel his side's comeback.
Klay Thomspon's father and former NBA player, Mychal Thompson, believes the Golden State Warriors will be a "scary title-contender" when everyone gets back healthy.
As reported by NBC Sports Bay Area, Thompson told KNBR:
"The Warriors, oh they are scary...I mean you saw what they could be last night with Steph having an off-night. Now, imagine them with Wiseman and Klay healthy. They are definitely a threat."
Meanwhile, Stephen Curry is extremely proud of his teammates and believes the Golden State Warriors' depth and basketball IQ will help them win games this season.
“Everybody’s either a threat to shoot or is going to make the right play —move the ball. High IQ is huge.”
Steph Curry says it means a lot to have teammates that pick up the slack when he’s struggling. 💯 https://t.co/fTa1hE9DM8
Key Player - Stephen Curry
Stephen Curry can practically never have a bad game even if he is shooting poorly from the field because his gravity opens up shots for his teammates. This makes him the best floor-raiser in the NBA.
His magnet effect was on full display on Tuesday night as he drew double and triple-teams on every possession, which led to clean looks for the rest of the Warriors.
Although he called his own performance "trash" after the game, he recorded his eighth career triple-double with 21 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.
Steph Curry tonight:
21 PTS
10 REB
10 AST
3 STL
8th Career Triple-Double
#NBATwitter #Warriors
https://t.co/2abYlui6L8
After a poor shooting night, Stephen Curry usually bounces back and goes on a rampage the next game, so don't be surprised if he drops a big number against the LA Clippers.
Golden State Warriors Predicted Lineup
G - Stephen Curry | G - Jordan Poole | F - Andrew Wiggins | F - Draymond Green | C - Kevon Looney.
Clippers vs Warriors Match Prediction
The LA Clippers are without a lot of players, most importantly Kawhi Leonard, so the Golden State Warriors have a significant edge on Thursday night.
Although the Dubs are also missing Thompson and Wiseman, their chemistry has been excellent so far, and the rest of the players look ready to contribute with the "next man up" mentality.
The Golden State Warriors have a better chance of winning this encounter against the LA Clippers.
Where to watch the Clippers vs Warriors game
The showtime matchup between the LA Clippers and Golden State Warriors will be broadcast nationally on TNT. The game can also be live-streamed with an NBA League Pass.
Moreover, fans can tune in to the radio at AM 570 KLAC/S: KTM and 95.7 The Game to listen to this match's live commentary.
Also Check Out: Complete NBA TV Schedule for 2021-22 Season