NBA Odds – Will Celtics Be In Position To Deal With Griffin?

Those who analyze the NBA betting odds have noticed that the Los Angeles Clippers might have new on-court leadership when they take the floor on Saturday night against the Boston Celtics, who may not be in the strongest position to deal with phenom Blake Griffin. The meeting of these two teams takes place at 10:30 PM ET at the Staples Center, and the Celtics will certainly be laying some points in the NBA odds.

NBA Odds

Boston Celtics (41-15 SU, 27-26-2 ATS) at Los Angeles Clippers (21-37 SU, 28-29-1 ATS)

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Live at Staples Center

Los Angeles, CA

Saturday, February 26 — 10:30 PM ET

NBA Odds: TBA

The Charles Jay Line (estimate): Boston -4.5, L.A. Clippers +4.5

Boston would really like to forget Thursday night’s game at Denver. They were short-handed, having just made two deals, sending Kendrick Perkins, Nate Robinson, Luke Harangody and Semih Erden away, and they caught in the shuffle. The Celtics went scoreless in the last half of the fourth quarter, and laying points in the NBA odds, they lost by 14 points, scoring 75 and shooting 39%. That’s dreadful, and I’m betting that regardless of the combination of players that are going to be available (and that should include ideal sixth man Jeff Green) you are going to be a much more intense effort.

With both O’Neals out, and the other guys gone, it will be left to Big Baby Davis, Nenad Krstic and 10-day signee Chris Johnson to help out in dealing with Blake Griffin, and that will be a challenge as they lay points on the road in the NBA odds once again. But Kevin Garnett is up front (or in back, depending on how you look at it) and the Celts know how to help each other on "D."

Here are some of the head-to-head trends that involve NBA odds on this game:

• Los Angeles has covered seven of the last nine meetings

• The last five meetings have gone UNDER the total

• Boston has won four of the last six meetings SU

• Los Angeles has won and covered three of the last four meetings as the home team

• Six of the last eight meetings in Los Angeles have gone UNDER the total

• Boston has had the shooting edge in six of the last seven meetings

• Boston has had the shooting edge in four of the last six meetings

• Boston has made more three-pointers in six of the last eight meetings

Mo Williams was probably going to lose some playing time to Ramon Sessions, and he was considered expendable by Cleveland, so they sent Williams to the Clippers, who unloaded Baron Davis, who had some encouraging moments with the team. It is up for debate how this will affect the Clippers in the NBA odds for Saturday, because Williams has been listed with an ankle injury.

We have to admit that we’ve been rather depressed about L.A.’s performances after the All-Star break, even though they haven’t shot too badly. Griffin had 21 points and 13 rebounds against the Hornets the other night, but the team turned it over 21 times and allowed New Orleans to shoot 51%. It might be advantageous for them if Chris Kaman could play some additional minutes, but Eric Gordon’s absence is clearly being felt. Boston should be fired up and better prepared for this one, while the Clippers will use some intensity for their Friday game against the Lakers. So we’ll lay the points in the NBA odds.

JAY’S PLAY: BOSTON BY 8

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