Trent Reinsmith
- What: LA Clippers vs. Los Angeles Lakers
- Date: Tuesday, January 24, 2023
- Location: Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Calif.
- Time: 10:00 p.m. ET
- How to Watch: TNT
The LA Clippers and the Los Angeles Lakers have met twice during the 2023 NBA season. The Clippers hold a 2-0 series edge over the Lakers, beating them 103-97 in the season’s opening game and then downing them again in early November by a score of 114-101. The Western Conference clubs meet for a third time tonight during Week 15 NBA action in the nationally televised TNT game.
The NBA’s two Los Angeles teams are members of the Pacific Division. The Clippers have a 25-24 record on the season and are in second place in the Pacific, three games behind the division-leading Sacramento Kings. The Lakers are 22-25 on the year. They are in last place in the division, but only five games out of the lead. If the 2023 NBA playoffs were to start today, the Clippers, who have the sixth-best record in the Western Conference would be in, while the Lakers would not make the postseason cut.
Before we look at the betting breakdown for tonight’s TNT NBA matchup between the LA Clippers and the Los Angeles Lakers, check out our guide to betting on the 2023 NBA Finals and our tips for betting on the NBA.
LA Clippers vs. Los Angeles Lakers picks for January 24, 2023
| Teams |  |
| LA Clippers | -165 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | +145 |
LA Clippers breakdown
The L.A. Clippers began the 2023 NBA season with two wins. The wheels fell off after that, with the club dropping four straight. Things had been up and down for the Clippers since then. The team’s worst stretch was a 2-9 run between December 29 and January 18. That run ended with a 131-126 win over the San Antonio Spurs on January 20. The team followed that with a 112-98 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday. They enter tonight’s contest on that two-game winning streak.
Paul George, who was out of the Clippers lineup between January 6 and January 19, leads the Clippers in points (23.1), assists (5.3), steals (1.5) and minutes (33.7). The team’s second-highest scorer is Kawhi Leonard at 20.5 points per game. Leonard has missed 25 of the Clippers’ games this season. Injuries continue to hurt the team as John Wall, who has mostly come off the bench for LA this year, contributing 11.4 points per game, is out with an abdominal strain and will be evaluated at the end of the month.
The Clippers are 3-4 against the division, with two of those wins coming against the Lakers and 15-15 in the conference.
Los Angeles Lakers breakdown
The LA Lakers started the 2023 NBA season poorly. The team opened the season with five straight losses. They then won two games in a row, but followed that success with another run of five consecutive setbacks. The team has been better since that rough start, but not much. Los Angeles had a five-game winning streak in late December and early January. The team is 3-4 since then. They enter tonight’s game against the Clippers on a two-game winning streak, with victories over the Memphis Grizzlies and Portland Trailblazers.
The Lakers suffered a significant loss to their offense in the middle of December when Anthony Davis went down with a foot injury. Davis, who was leading the team in points (27.7), rebounds (12.4), steals (1.3) and blocks (2.2) when he was injured, is expected to be out until early February. According to coach Darvin Ham, Davis played a full-contact scrimmage on Saturday and “looked phenomenal.”
With Davis out, LeBron James has taken over the scoring lead (29.8) while playing 36.2 minutes per game. James is also tops in rebounds with 8.5. Russell Westbrook, who is contributing 15.9 points per game, is the team leader in assists.
The Lakers are 1-8 against the division and 11-16 against Western Conference foes.
Our pick
It’s been a while since these teams faced off, but the Clippers are up 2-0 in the season series and with Paul George and Kawhi Leonard in the lineup, the Clippers are a stronger team than the Lakers, who are missing Anthony Davis. The best bet for tonight’s TNT game is to pick the Clippers to beat the Lakers.
Pick: LA Clippers to beat Los Angeles Lakers.
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