Clippers vs. Knicks Betting Line, Trail Blazers-Spurs Betting Line, More

Carrie Stroup here with all your NBA betting lines for Friday including the Clippers vs. Knicks and Trail Blazers vs. Spurs.  Be sure to claim your FREE $100 BET at Sportsbook.com here and remember you can wager on every play of this game right up to the final minute with LIVE IN-PLAY BETTING.

Sportsbook.ag Line & Total: Clippers -4 & 202

The slumping Knicks look to get back on track when they host the red-hot Clippers, winners of four straight, on Friday night.

New York has allowed 112.5 PPG on 50.3% FG during its two-game losing skid, which is surprising considering it gives up only 98.7 PPG (10th in NBA) on 46.0% FG (22nd in league) this season. The recent poor defensive performances will be trouble for New York as the Clippers are averaging 105.9 PPG (3^rd in NBA) on 46.5% FG (5th in league) with 24.1 APG (4^th in NBA). These teams met earlier in the season on Nov. 27, when L.A. defeated the Knicks at home 93-80 while covering a nine-point spread. That makes the Clippers 12-5 SU (7-9-1 ATS) in this series since 2005. This season, L.A. has been a solid road wager at 12-7 ATS (9-10 SU), while New York is a dreadful 5-14 ATS (7-12 SU) at Madison Square Garden, including 0-7 ATS with a minus-11.8 PPG margin when hosting Western Conference teams. But since 1996, the Knicks are 24-8 ATS (75%) after two consecutive double-digit road losses, but Los Angeles is 22-11 ATS (67%) after allowing 105+ points over the past two seasons. SG Pablo Prigioni (toe) and PFs Kenyon Martin (ankle) and Amar’e Stoudemire (ankle) are all likely to miss Friday's game, while SG Tim Hardaway Jr. (wrist) is questionable. PF Hedo Turkoglu could make his Clippers debut after signing with the team earlier this week, but PG Chris Paul (shoulder) remains out indefinitely.

Los Angeles is great offensively, but the club is average in both defense (100.1 PPG allowed, 14th in NBA) and rebounding (43.2 RPG, 16th in league). The Clippers were delivered a blow when they found out Chris Paul was out with a shoulder injury, but they have gone 5-1 without him this season, including four straight victories where they have averaged a hefty 116.0 PPG on 47% FG (39% threes). PG Darren Collison (9.5 PPG, 2.7 APG) has been more than up to the task of being the starter as he has averaged 16.6 PPG and 7.2 APG in five starts since Paul was injured. The Knicks have trouble defending point guards, so Collison could be in for another huge night. SG J.J. Redick (16.8 PPG, 39% threes) recently returned from a fractured hand that kept him out of action for the entire month of December, and he has been outstanding with 26.0 PPG on 62% FG (8-of-13 threes) in the two games. He had 15 points in the first meeting between these teams, and averages 11.0 PPG on 47% FG (38% threes) in 21 career meetings with New York. With the Knicks lacking depth inside, PF Blake Griffin (22.3 PPG, 10.3 RPG) could be in for another monster performance in this series where he's averaged a double-double (23.0 PPG, 11.3 RPG) in six meetings. Over the past 10 games this season, Griffin has been scorching hot with 26.6 PPG (55% FG), 9.3 RPG, 4.0 APG and 1.3 SPG. His free throw shooting has improved significantly this season as he is now up to 71.2%, which is considerably higher than his career rate of 62.8% FT.

The Knicks have struggled offensively all season with 95.3 PPG (6th-fewest in NBA) on 43.7% FG (7th-worst in league), and are in the midst of a J.R. Smith circus. Smith (11.4 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 3.0 APG) has logged just 26.7 MPG in the three games he’s played over the past five contests, averaging 12.0 PPG on 52% FG, but he has been benched twice for conduct detrimental to the team. Smith has been miserable against L.A. in the past two seasons, tallying just 10.0 PPG on 8-of-38 FG (21%) and 3-of-14 threes in three meetings. SF Carmelo Anthony (26.1 PPG, 8.7 RPG) has been just the opposite, lighting up the Clippers for 42 points and eight rebounds in his lone meeting against them last season, and following that up with 27 points and 10 boards in the Nov. 27 meeting. Anthony has continued to play well for New York this season too, scoring 28 points and grabbing seven rebounds in Thursday's loss to the Pacers to give him 25.4 PPG (48% threes) and 8.6 RPG in January. He will need to dominate his matchup with Jared Dudley if the Knicks are going to be able to hang with the high-scoring Clippers offense. C Tyson Chandler (7.9 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 1.5 BPG) will need to do a good job defending the rim as Blake Griffin will be attacking the basket frequently. Chandler had 13 points and nine rebounds against the Pacers on Thursday, but was constantly struggling to stop Indiana at the rim. Chandler had six points and 11 boards in the Nov. 27 loss, and has averaged 10.1 PPG (61% FG) and 8.7 RPG in 22 career meetings with Los Angeles.

PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS (29-9) at SAN ANTONIO SPURS (31-8)

Sportsbook.ag Line & Total: San Antonio -5.5 & 212.5

Two red-hot teams meet up in San Antonio on Friday night when the Spurs host the Trail Blazers.

Portland has won three straight games (2-1 ATS) and it continues to score the ball at will this season with an NBA-best 109.1 PPG (1^st in NBA) on 39.7% threes (2nd in league). The Blazers are averaging 46.7 RPG (2^nd in NBA) as well as 24.7 APG (3^rd in league). San Antonio, however, has won six in a row (3-3 ATS) and has similarly gaudy rankings with 104.7 PPG (5^th in NBA) on a league-best 39.9% threes with 25.3 APG (2^nd in NBA). The Spurs are much better defensively too, as they allow just 96.6 PPG (5^th in NBA) compared to Portland’s 102.8 PPG (26^th in NBA). When these teams met for the first time this season on Nov. 2, the Blazers were 2.5-point home underdogs and shot 56% FG, 40% threes and 90% FT in a 115-105 victory. That marks Portland's third straight win in this series, which includes a 136-106 drubbing when it last visited San Antonio last March. The Blazers are 13-5 SU and 12-6 ATS in the past 18 meetings in this series, and are 14-5 ATS after covering two of their past three games this season. However, the Spurs are 53-26 ATS (67%) versus good ball-handling teams (14 or less turnovers per game) in the past three seasons. Both SG Danny Green (hand) and C Tiago Splitter (shoulder) remain out indefinitely for San Antonio, while Portland enters this matchup injury-free.

Portland has won three straight games thanks in large part to the excellent play of PF LaMarcus Aldridge (23.8 PPG, 11.2 RPG). Aldridge has played at an MVP level this season and in the win over Cleveland on Wednesday night, Aldridge finished with 32 points, 18 rebounds and four assists, marking his fifth double-double in the past seven games where he's averaged 25.3 PPG and 13.0 RPG. His matchup with Tim Duncan will be crucial in this one, but Aldridge has gotten the better of the Spurs recently, averaging a robust 25.2 PPG on 59% FG in the past six meetings, including 24 points, seven boards and four assists in the Nov. 2 victory. PG Damian Lillard (21.6 PPG, 5.7 APG) scored 25 points with seven rebounds and seven assists in that win versus San Antonio and is now averaging 27.3 PPG (51% FG, 46% threes) with 7.0 APG and 5.0 RPG in his four career meetings with the Spurs. Lillard was lights out against the Cavaliers on Wednesday too, finishing with 28 points (10-of-20 FG, 5-of-10 threes), six rebounds and five assists in 36 minutes. The defense of C Robin Lopez (10.2 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 1.4 BPG) is ultimately going to be the only chance the Blazers have to win the game. For a team that plays such poor defense, Lopez is an excellent rim defender. He works as hard as anybody in the league and he has held this team together on that side of the ball. Lopez had a solid game (12 points, 6 rebounds, 2 blocks) in the win over the Spurs this season. SF Nicolas Batum (13.3 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 5.7 APG) had a triple-double in the first meeting between these teams with 11 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists, but has not enjoyed his six career visits to AT&T Center, averaging just 5.3 PPG on 35% FG with 4.7 RPG and 1.0 APG.

The Spurs have won six straight contests and are 9-1 SU (5-5 ATS) during their 10-game streak of scoring more than 100 points. During the run, they are averaging 109.4 PPG on 52% FG and 41% threes. PG Tony Parker (18.1 PPG, 6.4 APG) has been excellent over this 10-game stretch, averaging 19.3 PPG (54% FG) and 7.1 APG. In the first meeting between these teams, Parker had 17 points, nine assists and five rebounds, but needs to do a better job of keeping Damian Lillard out of the paint. SG Marco Bellinelli (10.9 PPG, 50% threes) had 19 points (8-of-12 FG, 3-of-3 threes) and four assists in 27 minutes in that Nov. 2 defeat in Portland, and he has been playing well over the past five games too, scoring at least a dozen points in all five contests and averaging 15.2 PPG on 53% FG (8-of-16 threes). PF Tim Duncan (14.7 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 1.9 BPG) has continued to play at an All-Star level this season despite being 37 years old. He had 24 points and seven boards in the first meeting between these two teams and is averaging 17.8 RPG, 11.0 RPG and 2.0 BPG over the past six games. The Spurs will need that type of aggressiveness on the glass with Aldridge coming to town. SG Manu Ginobili (12.6 PPG, 4.6 APG) has been playing well this season after appearing to be sluggish in the playoffs last season. In two games since returning from injury, he's averaging 13.5 PPG. His scoring punch off the bench will be crucial for the Spurs to hang with the fast-paced Blazers offense.