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Game 5: Clippers vs. Thunder Betting Picks & ATS NBA Handicapping Preview

Los Angeles vs Oklahoma City NBA Odds

The Los Angeles Clippers will look to make it two in a row after an amazing comeback in game four over the weekend, and try to take a one-game advantage in the series on Tuesday, in game five of the Western Conference semifinals. [ad-4468020]

Date/Time: 9:30 p.m. ET, Tuesday, May 13, 2014
Venue: Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Broadcast: TNT
Spread: -5.5 Oklahoma
Over/Under: 214.5
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After falling behind by as many as 22-points in game four, LA mounted a colossal fourth-quarter surge to record a 101-99 victory and even the series at two games apiece.

The Clippers rode Darren Collison’s 18-point performance, 12 of which came in the final quarter, including the go-ahead basket with 59.9 seconds left. LA also took advantage of a 45-43 rebounding advantage, which was a marked improvement, after being out muscled on the glass by an average of 14.3 boards over the first three games of the series.

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Blake Griffin also added 25 points and nine rebounds and star point guard Chris Paul chipped in with 23 points and 10 assists for the Clippers, who still had problems containing Kevin Durant, who scored 40 points for the Thunder. It was Paul’s seventh double-double of the playoffs.

Meanwhile, Durant and Russell Westbrook continued to carry the load for the Thunder, combing for 67 points in the loss. That’s over half of the Thunder’s points, as they have averaged 110.8 points on 51.1 percent shooting over the last five games.
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OKC will need to regroup in game five, focusing their efforts on preventing the types of defensive lapses that allowed Los Angeles to score 38 final-quarter points in game four.

The Thunder held the Clippers to 35.2 percent shooting over the first three quarters, but was hurt by 16 turnovers down the stretch.

The Clippers on the other hand, will center their focus on increasing their opportunities from three-point range, after shooting only 14.3 percent from beyond the arc with three of their starters scoring in the single digits in game four.

Oklahoma City is allowing 109 points on 46.1 percent shooting, while LA is averaging 112.4 points on 48.2 percent shooting and allowing 111 points on 49.1 percent shooting.

Matt’s Prediction:

The Thunder outplayed LA in game four and then just melted down.

And while that may give the Clippers a much needed boost, I don’t expect the Thunder to make the same mistakes in a pivotal game five.

Thunder 112, Clippers 109

By Matt Martz

Matt has returned to CappersPicks.com. The pull was too great. He missed providing his free picks and insider sports gambling analysis to his loyal readers. Please take it easy on him till he gets back into his groove. Cheers!