Game: Los Angeles Clippers @ Portland Trail Blazers
Time: 10:00 p.m.
Odds: Clippers +3.5, Trail Blazers -3.5
Total: 211.5
Ivica Zubac tried his hand at being the center of attention while Kawhi Leonard and Paul George were both out of the lineup, and it was an experience to remember. When the Los Angeles Clippers visit the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday night, the 25-year-old Zubac will look to build on his best performance of his career.
Zubac put on a man-possessed performance on Sunday in a 114-100 home win over the Indiana Pacers, scoring 31 points and grabbing a career-high 29 rebounds.
Zubac came within one rebound of the third 30-point, 30-rebound performance in the NBA in the past 40 years. The last Clippers player to grab 30 rebounds in a game was Michael Cage, who accomplished this feat on April 24, 1988, against the Seattle SuperSonics. He might have achieved the feat had he not fouled out with 3:40 left to play in the game.
The legendary Wilt Chamberlain used to consistently record 30-30 games throughout his career, but Zubac just missed becoming the first player to do it since Dwight Howard in 2018 and Kevin Love in 2010. They are the only two players to do so since Moses Malone did it in 1982.
Given that George (hamstring) will miss his fifth straight game and Leonard (ankle) will miss his fourth straight, Zubac could get some chances against Portland. He is averaging 10.5 points and 11.6 rebounds this season. Luke Kennard will also be out tonight missing his seventh straight game due to a calf injury.
Portland is not at full strength either. Star guard Damian Lillard will miss fifth straight game due to his second calf injury of the year. The Trail Blazers have dropped five of their last six games. On Sunday, they fell to the Brooklyn Nets 111-97 to conclude a 1-3 road trip.
Jerami Grant of the Blazers had 29 points in the loss to the Nets after his career-high 44 points in Friday’s 132-129 victory over the New York Knicks in overtime. This month, Grant has scored more than 20 points nine times, bringing his season average up to 21.5 points.
Grant, meanwhile, wasn’t pleased with his performance on Sunday as Portland’s defense struggled to stop the Nets. Portland had 10 victories in its first 14 games of the season, but with its recent troubles, it is now only two wins above .500.
Over the past three seasons, Portland has struggled against the Clippers, dropping nine of ten games. That includes a 1-4 SU record in their last five home games against the Clippers. Portland is just 2-5 SU and ATS in its last seven games.
The Clippers are 10-5 SU in their last 15 games. In addition to a 9-1 SU record against Portland in the last ten meetings, LA is also 8-2 ATS in those ten games. The Under is 15-5 in the Clippers’ last 20 games. Both defenses rank in the top-10 in points allowed per game.
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