Will the Clippers dominate the Blazers again tonight?
The Clippers are 6-0 straight up in games played by Blake Griffin since he returned from a long hiatus caused by an injury and suspension. Will that trend continue on Wednesday?
When they rolled out the ball to begin the Western Conference portion of the playoffs, three of the four series fell into the walk-over column. Top seeds Golden State, San Antonio and Oklahoma City were considered surefire winners, with nobody in his right mind give their opponents a chance to take four of seven games.
The No. 4 seed? Not so much.
While the Clippers were clear-cut favorites, the Trail Blazers figured to put up a fight. They might still, but a 20-point wipeout partly fueled by a familiar L.A. player out of the picture lately has fueled speculation that a mismatch is in store between these teams.
Blake Griffin had not suited up since Christmas Day when he took the court on April 3 following an unusual injury/suspension layoff. It is no coincidence that Los Angeles has won all six games in which he has appeared, even as he gradually works his way back into hoops condition.
The reacclimating is close to complete, based on Monday's gem of a game. Logging 31 minutes, Griffin displayed the athleticism for which he is renowned with three dunks and a dozen rebounds, supplemented by six assists.
The only rusty aspect of his game was jumpshots. Griffin missed both tries, but extra shooting practice on off days suggests that part of his arsenal will soon be evident.
A lesser-known Clipper might play an oversized role in the series. Luc Mbah a Moute harassed C.J. McCollum into a nine-point night, 12 under his average. Mbah a Moute was so focused on his task that he did not attempt a shot during the 18 minutes assigned to McCollom.
Little worked for the Blazers in Game One, especially the Hack-a-Jordan strategy.
In the fourth quarter, Portland consciously fouled DeAndre Jordan, resulting in 14 free throws. While Jordan hit only half of them, the Blazers got just six points following the freebies, and the Clippers insist that the approach inspires them to play better defense.
The SportsLine Projection Model looks for another decisive L.A. victory Wednesday, if not as one-sided as the opener.
Last night on SportsLine: The computer found nothing on the "A" category on Tuesday's limited schedule. For the season, it remains 163-145 (52.9 percent) on strong recommendations.
The analyst says: Scores have dipped in the second game of each series, with the Under going 4-1, observes Matty Simo. Yet he is siding with the Over of 199 in the Hornets-Heat game, noting an unmistakable pattern from their matchups in Miami.
"The past nine meetings at American Airlines Arena have now all finished Over the total," writes Simo, 236-214-4 on NBA selections, "and Charlotte figures to play a bigger role in making that happen in Game 2 after averaging 101 points in the previous three games there."
Trends to note: By covering on Sunday, the Pistons have beaten the spread in nine of the last 11 games in Cleveland, site of Wednesday's game. ... The Trail Blazers have lost four in a row ATS, while the Clippers have taken four of their last five and four straight at home. ... Playing on two days' rest, the Heat are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 outings while the Hornets are 1-4 in their last five.
Injuries to watch: None reported from the six teams in action Wednesday.
Get all the updated SportsLine and analyst selections on our NBA picks page.
Editor's note: SportsLine's grades can change frequently based on line moves, injuries, lineup changes and updated computer simulations. 'A' picks early in the day may not necessarily go off as 'A' picks come tipoff. Check SportsLine frequently for the latest grades.
