nbaliveleague.com - Game of the Week

Oklahoma City (60 - 12)

Expert Pick
0% >< 0%

LA (58 - 14)

Best of the West
The Wild Wild West is bringing out the BIG Guns the week with two of the best. You have the LA Clippers who currently are number one in the west with a 49-9 record going up vs the number two in the West the OKC Thunder who are just 1 game behind at 48-10. Could we be seeing a conference final preview? Let's dive in and take a look at some of the matchups! Point Guard OKC is Starting LeBron James at point. No surprises here as he is possible the best to ever do it. James is averaging 24ppg, 9apg and 8rbp. He is absolutely in the running for MVP but most of all he is HEALTHY! The Clippers have Kemba Walker running point who is doing a fantastic job when available with 25ppg, 7apg and 2rpg. Kemba should be able to get points on the board but James will definitely make it hard for him with his significant upside with size and defense. Shooting Guard Danny Green is slated to start this game. He is not blowing anyone away with high points per game with his average of 8 but when the ball is in his hands he is hitting 50% from deep. and is a plus defender. Kevin Huerter, or Red Velvet, is starting for the Clippers. He has 12ppg, 3apg and enough size at 6'6 to make life hard for anyone. I give the end to Red Velvet Small Forward The Thunder have Kawhi Leonard at the 3...for now (sorry about the future ACL issue). Another MVP type player who is having an amazing year with 33ppg, 5apg and hitting his FT at 95%! He knows how rot get to the line at just under 4FTA. This is exciting but the Clips have young stud who continues to put the league on notice Jason Tatum. He has 30ppg, 4apg and 6rpg. This could be a extremely fun match up because they are both two of the best two way players in the league. No edge given, just give us a battle please! Power Forward Draymond Green is coming in hot at the PF spot for OKC. He is not handling the ball as much this season with all the other ball handlers but he is still defending like a DPOY. He is going to make life hard for all player on the Clipper 1-5. John Collins for the Clippers wil have his work cut out. He can get buckets and has good length but at the end of the day I think Draymond will for Collins to defer to his teammates for help. Edge goes to Green. Center Starting Center for OKC is Whiteside. Whiteside is doing what he does best and getting Blocks and Protecting the rim. He is not an offensive thread but he will help make life hard for the Clippers defensively. Clint Capela on the other hand for the Clippers, give a bit more versatility as a lob thread and has a much better percentage of knocking down shots at the FT. Edge.... Capela.

Best of the West

The Wild Wild West is bringing out the BIG Guns the week with two of the best. You have the LA Clippers who currently are number one in the west with a 49-9 record going up vs the number two in the West the OKC Thunder who are just 1 game behind at 48-10. Could we be seeing a conference final preview? Let's dive in and take a look at some of the matchups!

Point Guard

OKC is Starting LeBron James at point. No surprises here as he is possible the best to ever do it. James is averaging 24ppg, 9apg and 8rbp. He is absolutely in the running for MVP but most of all he is HEALTHY! The Clippers have Kemba Walker running point who is doing a fantastic job when available with 25ppg, 7apg and 2rpg. Kemba should be able to get points on the board but James will definitely make it hard for him with his significant upside with size and defense.

Shooting Guard

Danny Green is slated to start this game. He is not blowing anyone away with high points per game with his average of 8 but when the ball is in his hands he is hitting 50% from deep. and is a plus defender. Kevin Huerter, or Red Velvet, is starting for the Clippers. He has 12ppg, 3apg and enough size at 6'6 to make life hard for anyone. I give the end to Red Velvet

Small Forward
The Thunder have Kawhi Leonard at the 3...for now (sorry about the future ACL issue). Another MVP type player who is having an amazing year with 33ppg, 5apg and hitting his FT at 95%! He knows how rot get to the line at just under 4FTA. This is exciting but the Clips have young stud who continues to put the league on notice Jason Tatum. He has 30ppg, 4apg and 6rpg. This could be a extremely fun match up because they are both two of the best two way players in the league. No edge given, just give us a battle please!

Power Forward

Draymond Green is coming in hot at the PF spot for OKC. He is not handling the ball as much this season with all the other ball handlers but he is still defending like a DPOY. He is going to make life hard for all player on the Clipper 1-5. John Collins for the Clippers wil have his work cut out. He can get buckets and has good length but at the end of the day I think Draymond will for Collins to defer to his teammates for help. Edge goes to Green.

Center
Starting Center for OKC is Whiteside. Whiteside is doing what he does best and getting Blocks and Protecting the rim. He is not an offensive thread but he will help make life hard for the Clippers defensively. Clint Capela on the other hand for the Clippers, give a bit more versatility as a lob thread and has a much better percentage of knocking down shots at the FT. Edge.... Capela.

Thunder Star

Lebron James
How could I pick anyone other the King James himself. When you have a Forward at 6'8 playing PG vs a 6'1 Kemba Walker, James will have a massive size advantage and should be able to shut down walker pretty easily. Let's not over think this and just appreciate greatness.

PPG

RPG

APG

SPG

BPG

FPG

TPG

Clippers Star

Jayson Tatum
Jason Tatum has a change to to really be a difference maker in this match up. He has the ability to elevate over almost anyone on the court with his size, while locking up just about every defensively. He is a plus 18 on the court while ranking 4th in the league at ppg at 30, while being 7th in the league in Steals.

X-Factor
I believe the X factor could be the second unit matchup between Seth Curry and OG Anunoby. Seth Curry is one hell of a shooter. He is in the 50,40,90 and has the ability to playmate for his teammates at 5apg. OG on the other hand can definitely knockdown the 3 but his ability to defend Seth with be huge. OG is 6'8 going up vs a 6'2 Curry. Will Curry and the second be impactful enough to get by the two way ability of OG? Who will win the SF batter with Kawhi and Tatum? Can Walker get going vs LBJ? Those are some of the big questions I cannot wait to see play out in this Game Of The Week.

X-Factor

I believe the X factor could be the second unit matchup between Seth Curry and OG Anunoby. Seth Curry is one hell of a shooter. He is in the 50,40,90 and has the ability to playmate for his teammates at 5apg. OG on the other hand can definitely knockdown the 3 but his ability to defend Seth with be huge. OG is 6'8 going up vs a 6'2 Curry.

Will Curry and the second be impactful enough to get by the two way ability of OG? Who will win the SF batter with Kawhi and Tatum? Can Walker get going vs LBJ?

Those are some of the big questions I cannot wait to see play out in this Game Of The Week.