LAS VEGAS -- Only one first-round NBA playoff series out of eight was tied up after two games and that matchup continues on Friday night with the Clippers-Spurs series shifting to San Antonio (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN). Before that, the Wizards look to go up 3-0 vs. the Raptors (8 p.m. ET, ESPN 2), and the Rockets face what's left of the Mavericks in Dallas (7 p.m. ET, ESPN).
Clippers (1-1 ATS) at Spurs (1-1 ATS)
Game 3 line: Spurs -4.5, Total: 204.5
It's never over. Ever. Not against the Spurs. San Antonio is the horror movie villain that always comes back. The Clippers can metaphorically cut off the Spurs head and throw them into a volcano and Tim Duncan will still hit a right-handed football-throw shot while falling to his left.
San Antonio now has home-court advantage after stealing a game at Staples Center. The Spurs covered Wednesday as a 2-point dog with the outright win.
One thing that was OVER would be the total in Game 2, but only because the teams played an extra period. Along with the venue shift, that may be the reason that Game 3's total is lower than the first two. Game 1 fell UNDER, and the second meeting was certainly on track for another.
'On track' is a misleading phrase, though, as Gregg Popovich killed all the momentum again going to the hack-a-Jordan strategy in the fourth quarter. DeAndre Jordan was 6-of-17 from the free throw line.
Point guard Tony Parker has not looked like himself and is questionable for Friday with an ankle injury.
The Linemakers' lean: Some extraordinary things happened that allowed the Spurs to take Game 2 into overtime and eventually win it, and we're still firmly in the camp that the Clippers are the better team, so we'll take the 4.5 points tonight. Also, despite L.A. relinquishing home-court advantage, we like them to win this series and recommend taking them at +165 on the adjusted series price to do so.
For our complete Friday night betting preview, head over to The Linemakers on Sporting News .
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