Philadelphia 76ers vs Los Angeles Clippers 3/25/22: Starting Lineups, Matchup Preview, Betting Odds, Predictions

Philadelphia 76ers vs. Los Angeles Clippers Matchup Preview (3/25/22)

For the late game on Friday night, the 76ers will make the long flight from Philadelphia to Los Angeles for a non-conference showdown with the Clippers. The Sixers will attempt to win their fifth game out of the last six; they have had wins over the Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Dallas Mavericks, and Cleveland Cavaliers since mid-March. James Harden’s arrival has made all the difference for this team on the offensive end, as the Sixers’ offensive rating has catapulted to 118.6, which ranks eighth in the NBA since February 24th. That rating includes the nearly 50-point loss to the Boston Celtics, before Harden was cleared, as well as games that he did not play in. The Clippers will have their hands full for this matchup, but do not have to worry too much either way; they are pretty much locked into eighth place in the Western Conferece. It would take an inexplicable collapse for them to drop to ninth, and even then, are still eligible to participate in the play-in games. Los Angeles will need to lock down on the defensive end for any chance at beating the Sixers. Luckily, the Clips rank in the top ten in every key defensive statistical category, so they certainly have a chance. Check out my picks and prediction below for a further analysis on this game!

Philadelphia 76ers vs. Los Angeles Clippers Betting Odds

I’m still feeling a little bit burned by the Los Angeles Clippers not covering against the Denver Nuggets, but I will try to separate myself from that event as best as I can. Philly likely does not feel much pressure right now, as it will be in the playoffs regardless. Losses don’t even really hurt the Sixers either, as I’m sure they would rather play the Cleveland Cavaliers or Toronto Raptors than the Brooklyn Nets in the first round. I still think the Sixers will win, because of how much deeper they are than the Clippers, but I think Los Angeles will keep it within striking distance. If the Clippers are slight home dogs, then I will consider betting on them against the spread.

How To Watch

Date: 3/25/22
Time: 10:30 PM ET
Arena: Crypto.com Arena – Los Angeles, CA
Channel: NBA TV

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Philadelphia 76ers Starting Lineup

PG: Tyrese Maxey
SG: James Harden
SF: Matisse Thybulle
PF: Tobias Harris
C: Joel Embiid

Philadelphia 76ers Analysis

Thus far, the James Harden project seems to be working quite well; the Sixers are 9-3 when Harden takes the floor. Surprisingly, Harden’s arrival has not led to any major statistical dips in Joel Embiid’s numbers and has even in some ways bettered them. This has also been the case for point guard Tyrese Maxey, who is playing incredibly well alongside Harden in Philly’s backcourt. It seems that everyone is meshing fairly well, and short of a couple of off-nights offensively, the Sixers are very efficient on that end. With all that being said, Philly will not want to see the Brooklyn Nets in the first round of the NBA playoffs. Harden and Embiid actually were held out of a home game against the Miami Heat that was presumably a failed punting attempt. Unfortunately, the Sixers still won, so perhaps the Heat were a bit better at punting that night.

Los Angeles Clippers Starting Lineup

PG: Reggie Jackson
SG: Terance Mann
SF: Nicolas Batum
PF: Marcus Morris Sr.
C: Ivica Zubac

Los Angeles Clippers Analysis

There have not been many teams that have overachieved in the NBA, but the Los Angeles Clippers definitely qualify for that title. The Clippers have been without Kawhi Leonard for the entire season and Paul George for well over half of it. As mentioned in a previous article, they also traded for Norman Powell and lost him to what was assumed to be a season-ending injury. Reports came out that Powell may return this season, but Powell seemed to dispel this claim on Twitter. As a likely eighth seed in the Western Conference that will have to face the dangerous Phoenix Suns, if it is able to get through the play-in gauntlet, it is highly improbable for the Clippers to rush bringing back Powell, Leonard, or George. Regardless, there is still plenty to play for with the guys who are healthy and on the court, and this game could be a surprising one if they lock down on defense.

Philadelphia 76ers vs. Los Angeles Clippers Daily Fantasy Picks

Terance Mann has always been a player with an extremely high ceiling, but we are really seeing just how high it can go recently. While Mann has been solid this season, his numbers are by no means overwhelmingly great. Despite not drawing many starts, Mann still can fill it up at a high level, and we have witnessed that in the past four games. In that stretch, Mann has averaged 18 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 4.5 assists on merely 13 shots per game. Additionally, he has only been turning the ball over once in each game, which is incredibly efficient considering his assist numbers! Mann is not going to lead your team in fantasy points unless your team is intentionally terrible; however, he could be a solid play in this game, especially considering that the Clippers will need some players to step up on the offensive end to keep up with the Sixers.

Joel Embiid still has a real shot at winning the MVP for the 2021-22 NBA season, and it is hard to imagine that he will leave much in the tank by the end of the year. Embiid has put up insanely good numbers this season, averaging roughly 30 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists on a 49/36/82 shooting split. Those shooting numbers are quite impressive for any player, let alone a 7-foot-1 center! Recently, Embiid has been even better, posting 32.4 points, 12.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.4 blocks and steals in his past seven games. Any concerns about Embiid’s offensive volume with James Harden on the floor should ultimately be put to rest after this past month of basketball. Embiid is liable to drop 40-50 points on any given night, and I don’t think the Clippers have any answer for him.