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The NBA released its schedule for the 2020 regular-season restart in Orlando, Florida in late July. Each team will play eight regular-season games to decide seeding in each conference before the NBA Playoffs begin. Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and the rest of the Los Angeles Clippers roster has had plenty of time to get fresh before chasing a title. Let’s take a look at their schedule and what it means for their championship outlook.
Los Angeles Clippers Seeding Schedule Breakdown
- vs. Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday, July 30 (9:00 p.m. ET, TNT)
- vs. New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday, August 1 (6:00 p.m. ET, ESPN)
- vs. Phoenix Suns on Tuesday, August 4 (4:00 p.m. ET, NBA TV)
- vs. Dallas Mavericks on Thursday, August 6 (6:30 ET, TNT)
- vs. Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday, August 8 (1:00 p.m. ET, TNT)
- vs. Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, August 9 (9:00 p.m. ET, NBA TV)
- vs. Denver Nuggets on Wednesday, August 12 (9:00 p.m. ET, ESPN)
- vs. Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday, August 14 (TBD, TBD)
Los Angeles Clippers Odds
Championship Odds: +333
Conference Winner Odds: +180
The Clippers have always stood out among NBA title odds. For a while now, actually. For some reason, the books don’t think the Clips should be in the same conversation as the Lakers and Bucks. With this long layoff, on a neutral court without fans, a 100% healthy roster now featuring the great Joakim Noah, everything seems lined up perfectly for the Clippers to make a run. This is the same team that was favored to win it all before the season started.
The conference winner odds don’t make much sense either. So you mean to tell me the Lakers are +240 to win it all and the Clippers are +333, but conference winner odds are only separated +160 to +180? The two L.A. teams almost have the same odds to get out of the West but the Lakers are that much more favored to win it all over the Bucks? Both these lines favor the Clippers here.
Los Angeles Clippers Game Lines
Clippers: -1, -115 (ML -120)
Lakers: +1, -112 (ML -106)
Pelicans: +4.5, -109 (ML +150)
Clippers: -4.5, -112 (ML -180)
It’s tough to go with the Clippers on the spread or the money line coming back against the Lakers. Whenever the Lakers are getting points, I’m there for it. Plus, there are some unknowns still with who is going to play at Orlando, so I wouldn’t jump on this line just yet. In a pick ‘em though, it’s worth monitoring to see if this line swings in the Lakers’ direction before the end of July.
I’m interested to see how the Pelicans look when the season gets going. Getting 4.5 points is a lot for so many outside factors. If the Clippers get off to a slow start and lose to the Lakers in Game 1, looking at the Pelicans to cover in Game 2 isn’t a bad idea. We could also see the Clippers in full-force at full strength, ready to destroy any opponent, so beware.
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