San Antonio Spurs vs LA Clippers: Prediction and game preview - October 29, 2023
The San Antonio Spurs and LA Clippers will face off Sunday. This will be their first contest against each other this season. Both teams enter the game with a 1-1 record over their first two games. The Clippers are seen as a competitor for a Western Conference finals run this season, whereas the Spurs are clearly in the middle of a rebuild.
Brandon Boston Jr. (quad,) Terance Mann (ankle,) and Marcus Morris Sr. (coach's decision) are all on the Clippers injury report heading into the game. At the time of writing, the Spurs haven't submitted their injury report to the NBA. Nevertheless, the trio of Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Russell Westbrook should be too much for the Spurs' defense to handle.
Of course, Victor Wembanyama's expected presence within the Spurs rotation will ensure they can potentially win the game. The rookie big man has already impressed with his unique skillset and floor spacing ability. The Clippers will struggle to find easy buckets around the rim with the 7-foot-4 big man protecting the paint.
San Antonio Spurs vs LA Clippers: Prediction
The LA Clippers will enter their contest against the San Antonio Spurs as heavy favorites. Their superstar trio is a difficult matchup prospect for any team, let alone a franchise that's in the early stages of developing a new roster. Ivica Zubac will also be a different type of contest for Victor Wembanyama, as he brings size, physicality and positional IQ to the Clippers' center position.
Ty Lue will need to devise a plan that will allow the Clippers to get some solid looks within four feet of the basket. Wembanyama's shot-blocking ability could deter some of the Clippers' rotation players from pressuring the rim. However, the Spurs' inability to put up points in bunches will be a significant issue for them against a Clippers roster with multiple future Hall of Famers on the roster.
LA Clippers Roster
San Antonio Spurs Roster
San Antonio Spurs vs LA Clippers: Where to watch
You can watch the contest between the San Antonio Spurs and LA Clippers on Bally Sports SoCal, Bally Sports SW-SA, Fubo, and NBA League Pass.
The game will take place at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles and will tip-off at 9 p.m. Eastern.
San Antonio Spurs vs LA Clippers: Players to watch
As you would expect, the three players to watch for the LA Clippers are Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Russell Westbrook. Bones Hyland will be an interesting player to keep track of, too. For the Spurs, all eyes will be on Victor Wembanyama.
However, it will be interesting to see how Jeremy Sochan and Keldon Johnson perform, as they're the other two high-level young talents at Gregg Popovich's disposal .