NBA Playoffs Game 3 Betting Odds: Clippers vs. Spurs, Raptors vs. Wizards

Carrie Stroup here with your NBA Playoffs Game 3 betting odds for the Clippers vs. Spurs and Raptors vs. Wizards. 

LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS (69-15) at SAN ANTONIO SPURS (45-39)

Western Conference - First Round – Game 3

Sportsbook.ag Line: San Antonio -5.0, Total: 204

The Spurs look to take a 2-1 series lead when they host the Clippers in Game 3 on Friday.

The Clippers seemingly had control of Game 2, but the Spurs pulled out a gutsy 111-107 overtime road win as 2-point underdogs. San Antonio shot 46.2% from the field in the game and turned the ball over just nine times. The Spurs were outrebounded 70-56 though, and must be better on the glass. The victory for San Antonio means that the team is now 3-3 both SU and ATS versus the Clippers this season.

The Spurs have dominated the Clippers at home since 1996. In that time, they have gone 31-6 SU and 23-12 ATS versus Los Angeles. 20 of those games have gone Over the total and more recently, eight of the past 13 games between these teams have gone Over.

Los Angeles is 24-13 ATS in road games after having won six or seven of its past eight games over the past two seasons. San Antonio is 12-3 ATS in home games after playing a road game this season and 22-9 ATS off a road win when scoring 110 or more points over the past three seasons. The Clippers enter this game relatively healthy and PG Tony Parker (Achilles) is banged up but will play for the Spurs in this one.

The Clippers had an opportunity to head into this game up 2-0 in the series, but they blew it late in Los Angeles in Game 2. They’ll now need to pull themselves together and attempt to steal one of these next two games in San Antonio in order to earn back home-court advantage.

PG Chris Paul (19.1 PPG, 10.2 APG, 4.6 RPG, 1.9 SPG) had 21 points, eight boards and seven assists in Game 2 and has been shooting the ball better than he has in his entire career. The superstar shot the three-ball really well this season (40% 3PT) but he has been out of this world recently with 12-of-21 from behind the arc finding the bottom of the net over the past three games.

PF Blake Griffin (21.9 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 5.3 APG) had 29 points, 12 boards, 11 assists and a block in Game 2. He was unstoppable for a majority of the game, but he had a costly turnover late that ended up sending the game into overtime. He’ll need to gather himself and come through with a big performance in San Antonio on Friday.

C DeAndre Jordan (11.5 PPG, 15.0 RPG, 2.2 BPG) will also need to play well on Friday. Jordan had 20 points, 15 boards and three blocks in Game 2, but he did struggle to cover Tim Duncan in the game. He must do a better job of containing him if he is guarding him in Game 3.

The Spurs pulled off a huge upset win on the road in Game 2 and PF Tim Duncan (13.9 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 3.0 APG, 2.0 BPG) looked like a guy who is still in his prime. In 44 minutes of action. Duncan went 14-for-23 from the field and had 28 points, 11 boards, four assists, two steals and a block. He was hitting tough shots whenever his team needed him to and will need to play well again in Game 3.

SF Kawhi Leonard (16.5 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 2.5 APG, 2.3 SPG) also had a great game in Los Angeles in Game 2, finishing with 23 points, nine boards, three assists, a block and a steal in 39 minutes of action. Leonard’s ability to create his own shot has been huge this series because PG Tony Parker (14.4 PPG, 4.9 APG) has been struggling and dealing with injuries. He played just 30 minutes in Game 2 and had one point on 0-for-6 shooting from the field.

PG Patty Mills (6.9 PG, 1.7 APG) stepped it up big time with Parker not at 100% Wednesday. Mills had 18 points in 19 minutes of action and none of them were bigger than the two free throws he hit that forced overtime after Blake Griffin turned the ball over. He’ll need to be ready to contribute once again on Friday.

TORONTO RAPTORS (49-35) at WASHINGTON WIZARDS (48-36)

Eastern Conference - First Round – Game 3

Sportsbook.ag Line: Washington -5, Total: 194.5

The Raptors look to avoid a 3-0 deficit by defeating the Wizards in Washington on Friday.

The Raptors have dug themselves a deep hole after losing 117-106 as 5.5-point favorites in Toronto in Game 2. Toronto is now down 2-0 in the series and must play two straight games in Washington. This team struggled from the line in Game 2, shooting 21-for-32 from the charity stripe and the Raptors also were outrebounded 57-43 in that contest. They will need to get it together or this could be an extremely quick series victory for the Wizards.

Over the past three seasons, Washington has not fared well in this series at the Verizon Center. The Wizards are 1-4 both SU and ATS in those games and will need to change that or the Raptors could come away with a victory or two and head back to Toronto with tons of momentum in Game 5. One thing that swings in the Raptors’ favor is that the Wizards are a miserable 1-11 ATS in home games after coving in five of six of their past seven games over the past two seasons. However, the Wizards are 17-5 ATS in April games over the past two seasons and are facing a Raptors team that is 4-15 ATS when playing six or less games in 14 days this season. Both of these teams enter this game relatively healthy.

The Raptors are down 2-0 and they have just not gotten the type of play that they expected out of PG Kyle Lowry (17.8 PPG, 6.8 APG, 4.7 RPG, 1.6 SPG) and SG DeMar DeRozan (20.1 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 3.5 APG, 1.2 SPG). Lowry is averaging just 6.5 PPG and 4.0 APG on 5-for-20 shooting over the past two games and will need to be way better if the Raptors are going to claw their way back into this series. He has also been unable to avoid getting into foul trouble and must be more disciplined defensively.

DeRozan has been better than Lowry, but that isn’t saying much. He’s averaging 17.5 PPG in this series, but the Raptors need him to take his game to a whole other level. He’s going to have to attack the basket in Game 3 and really look for his shot.

One guy who stepped up in Game 2 was SG Lou Williams (15.5 PPG, 1.1 SPG), who finished with 20 points and three steals in 27 minutes of action. If Lowry struggles again then Williams will be counted on to score even more in Game 3.

C Jonas Valanciunas (12.0 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 1.2 BPG) had 15 points and 10 rebounds in Game 2 and will need to be aggressive in this game. He had just six points in Game 1 and this team is counting on him to match the production of Marcin Gortat in the post.

The Wizards won both games in Toronto and now have control of this series as they host the Raptors for the next two games. PG John Wall (17.6 PPG, 10.0 APG, 4.6 RPG, 1.7 SPG) was brilliant in Game 2, finishing with 26 points and 17 assists in 40 minutes of action. He is dominating Kyle Lowry so far and will need to continue to be aggressive with Lowry dealing with a few nagging injuries.

SG Bradley Beal (15.3 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 3.1 APG, 1.2 SPG) also lit it up in Game 2, pouring in 28 points in 42 minutes of action. Beal was 12-for-21 from the field and the Raptors did not have an answer for him. He’s looked better in this series than he has all season and Washington could make a deep run in these playoffs if he is playing to his fullest potential.

C Marcin Gortat (12.2 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 1.3 BPG) had 16 points, eight rebounds and three blocks in Game 2. Gortat has done a great job of defending the rim when he’s on the floor and will need to continue to win his matchup with Valanciunas.

SF Paul Pierce (11.9 PPG) is averaging 15.0 PPG in this series. He is 6-for-11 from the outside and his experience has really been on display throughout.

- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter