NBA Free Pick – Wednesday February 23, 2011
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Los Angeles Clippers (21-35) vs New Orleans Hornets (33-25)
Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at 9:30 pm EST on ESPN
Last meeting: the teams have split two meetings this year with each winning at home. They haven’t played each other since November.
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The Clippers led by Blake Griffin may be entertaining but this is still a well below average team. They enter Wednesday night fresh off getting smoked by the Thunder to open the second half, losing by almost 30 points. You can’t point the finger at Griffin though as he was solid once again while the rest of the team struggled to keep up. It is a familiar tune for this squad who entered the break with only three wins in its last 10 games. When the Clips beat the Hornets in LA in November they were led by shooting guard Eric Gordon who scored 27 points. He is currently out indefinitely with a wrist injury and the Clippers have been getting inconsistent play from his replacement Randy Foye. Any thoughts of the Clippers turning things around this season and making the playoffs have vanished.
No playoff bound team needed the All-Star break more than New Orleans who won only 2 of 11 stumbling into the break. Coming out of the break they get to take advantage of a Clippers team that played and lost last night in embarrassing fashion – which should be a perfect opportunity to pick up an easy victory. New Orleans has a huge advantage at the point guard position with Chris Paul but victory will be almost guaranteed if David West can outplay Griffin in the post. Although, when New Orleans won by 19 as 9 point favourites early in the season it was the bench that led the way with 34 points from Willie Green and Jerryd Bayless. Bayless is now with the Raptors while Green is continuing to excel in a reserve role. The Hornets are just more potent than LA across the board and that as much as anything should be why they win.
The odds makers have the New Orleans Hornets as a -7 point favorite with an over/under of 190.5.
Prediction: The Hornets are desperate to get back to their winning ways so they should be focused and ready coming out of the break. Against a tired Clippers squad a win should be no problem.
Score: New Orleans 98 – Los Angeles 90
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Los Angeles Clippers Betting Trends
- Clippers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a SU loss of more than 10 points.
- Clippers are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 Wednesday games.
- Clippers are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
New Orleans Hornets Betting Trends
- Hornets are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games playing on 3 or more days rest.
- Hornets are 7-21-1 ATS in their last 29 vs. Western Conference.
- Hornets are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 Wednesday games.
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