After the entire NBA was dark Saturday, every team will play on this final day of the regular season. Most games will not impact the playoff seeds, but a couple have significant implications.
The Warriors host the Clippers as 4.5-point favorites with an Over/Under of 221.5 points.
The loser of this matchup will likely find itself as the Western Conference’s seventh seed, which means a spot in the play-in tournament. The winner would secure a playoff berth.
At first glance, I wanted to grab the points with the Clippers. The line seems too high for an underdog that I believe can win this game outright. Plus, Golden State is still trying to regain its peak form from right after the acquisition of Jimmy Butler.
However, I think that Under 221.5 is the right play because I expect an intensity that resembles a playoff game. That means possessions will be more measured, and referees should swallow the whistle and allow more defensive physicality.
Steph Curry is a nightmare to defend and will create all sorts of headaches for the Clips, but ultimately, these defenses both rank in the top six in efficiency.
Betting on the NBA?
Clippers assistant Jeff Van Gundy orchestrates the defense and has done a wonderful job this season. L.A. has excellent length and elite defenders with Norm Powell, Kawhi Leonard, and Kris Dunn in the starting lineup, plus Derrick Jones Jr. off the bench.
Meanwhile, Golden State has quality defenders in Draymond Green, Butler, Gary Payton II, Moses Moody, and Jonathan Kuminga whom coach Steve Kerr can incorporate to help defend James Harden and Leonard.
I am 37-24-1 ATS in this Post sports section. I will take under 221.5 as my next official play.
BEST BET: Under 221.5 points
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Doug Kezirian is a New York Post contributor who currently serves as the Chief Content Officer for Only Players, a sports betting media company. Doug has over two decades of experience in the betting space, including spending 11 years at ESPN as a host, columnist and betting analyst. He’s also the rare personality who has documented success – 14th place in 2023 Circa Million and Las Vegas SuperContest ($37K), two top-10 finishes in 2022 William Hill College Football Challenge ($58K) and also grabbed headlines with a $297K win on the 2021 NFL Draft.
