LA Clippers vs OKC Thunder Prediction and Match Preview - August 14th, 2020
Fixture - LA Clippers vs Denver Nuggets
Date & Time - August 14th, 6:30 PM IST (August 15th, 4 AM IST)
Where - The Field House (WWOS), Orlando, Florida
The LA Clippers take on the OKC Thunder in one of the academically relevant matches left in the NBA restart. Both teams have sealed their postseason seeding/ side of the draw with a game left, and will rest their stars in all probability if not all their starters. The most that this game will affect is bookmakers' fortunes.
LA Clippers Preview
While the LA Clippers were bolstered by the arrival of reserve center Montrezl Harrell on Tuesday, they will not have him available for this game. The LA Clippers are likely to give an extended run out to their reserves, so the likes of Terrence Mann, Landry Shamet, Beverley and JaMychal Green will see the floor more than usual.
LA Clippers - Key Player
The LA Clippers obtained Landry Shamet as part of the much-vaunted Tobias Harris trade last season. The sophomore will be crucial to the LA Clippers' plans in the playoffs, as he is one of the best natural shooters on their roster. So far, Shamet hasn't gotten going in the NBA restart, so he will be looking to change that in this game against the OKC Thunder.
LA Clippers - Predicted Lineup
Patrick Beverley, Landry Shamet, Terrence Mann, Patrick Patterson, JaMychal Green
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OKC Thunder Preview
The OKC Thunder will finish no lower than 4th and have sealed a playoff matchup against the Houston Rockets. They lost defensive specialist rookie Lu Dort to injury against the Heat yesterday and are a bit stretched in their resources. But they will still try to manage injuries and give extended runs to their youngsters rather than risk Chris Paul picking up serious injury on the eve of the playoffs.
OKC Thunder - Key Player
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has blossommed into a two-way player par excellence for the OKC Thunder over the course of the season. A point guard in a small forward's body, SGA's ability to practically get past any defense thrown at him on the way to the rim will be crucial to the determination of the result tomorrow. SGA's playmaking will be put to the test with Chris Paul likely to rest most of the game, if not all of it.
LA Clippers vs OKC Thunder - Match Prediction
Predicting a matchup between reserves is usually tough, but the LA Clippers have the deepest bench in the NBA even without Montrezl Harrell. Their depth both at the perimeter and on the interior trumps that of the OKC Thunder. Expect the LA Clippers to come away with a win in double digits. The game will be a medium-scoring affair with 220-230 points scored.
LA Clippers vs OKC Thunder - Where to Watch
Viewers in the USA can catch the live telecast of this game on ESPN. Local viewers in California and Oklahoma can catch it on Spectrum SportsNet and Fox Sports Oklahoma. International viewers can stream this game online on the NBA League Pass.
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