LAC vs GSW Dream11: The NBA has now been around for more than 75 years and one can argue that the current era is the “Pace and Space” one with players focused more upon three-point shooting than ever. Even in the so-called “Small Ball Era”, many Centers like Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid, and big Forward Giannis Antetokounmpo have been successful in building a strong inside game and that is the way it is, how do you open the floor without generating drives every now and then! And when Playoffs come, you need to get those inside points and closer to the rim offense, and why do I say that? Giannis won the Finals MVP last season and he did most of his damage inside. Anyway, let us now jump to the game between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Golden State Warriors.
The Clippers are two games under the 50% win mark but this mild record is a success considering how they have played for most parts without Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. Now, the team will be without Norman Powell, a high-scoring wing who got injured just after playing a couple of games with the team. The Clippers can’t catch a break!
The Warriors, on the other hand, have a core that has tagged along for many years and they have developed a team culture that produces talent that is largely built through the draft and is crafted as per the required situations. The depth of this team has been in full flow recently and the Warriors have emerged as contenders as the midseason window has floated away.
Host: LA Clippers
Visitors: Golden State Warriors
Match Timing: 16 February, @ 09:00 AM
Venue: Crypto.com Arena
Clippers: They are hit with a bunch of injuries but have experience
The Clippers can’t catch a break when it comes to injuries and it seems like wings are the favorite target of the Clippers’ injury bug. The team has combated with injuries to first their two-way superstars and now newly acquired Powell who has been sidelined indefinitely. So what to do then? Coach Ty Lue has had his hands full and well, the Coach of the Year Award usually goes to teams that touch new heights record-wise but he has done a brilliant job coaching-wise, really, he has kept it shuffling amidst the chaos created by injuries. How long can the Clippers carry on their Play-in tournament spot?
Reggie Jackson would tell me they can for long. He has had another great season and continues to carry the major ball-handling load while showcasing his scoring and playmaking on a regular basis. Marcus Morris has kept the wing position afloat which is totally depleted right now with the streak of injuries, his mid-range turnaround fadeaways are a thing of beauty too. Meanwhile, Ivica Zubac has given some strong production in the middle but it will be up to players like Terance Mann and Amir Coffey to make the offense sustainable. I think the Clippers’ defense will be dogged to make up for the lack of offense.
Warriors: Cruising, locked in for the Western Finals at least
The Warriors are the second-best team record-wise. They have been winning quite a lot this season and guess what when you have Klay returning to an already lifted unit, Woah! And there you had it, a 30+ points game from Thompson as he has shot more efficiently than his backcourt mate Curry and well, we have seen that before and we will see more of it. Golden State had been playing without Draymond Green recently and that has surely created some fractures on the defensive end and the team also loses a vital playmaker. However, the team has lifted the offensive side to make up for the defense but the defensive end has done the job many times too.
Stephen Curry has been up-and-down scoring-wise but he does a lot more and I will keep writing this because yes, this guy is more than a shooter at this point! On the other hand, Wiggins has been a two-way wing who gives the required balance. Jonathan Kuminga must have put many smiles on coach Kerr’s face as he has organically fit into the current Warriors unit with the defense stretched out. Kevon Looney has been picking it up on the rebounding end and his help defense is always on-point. Jordan Poole is a high-quality guard, someone for whom a team like the Lakers would be craving at this point. Meanwhile, Damion Lee, Juan Toscano-Anderson, Gary Payton II, and Nemanja Bjelica round off a deep rotation but Gary’s minutes have fallen completely after Klay’s return.
LA Clippers | Golden State Warriors
Games: 58| 57
Wins: 28 | 42
Defeats: 30| 15
Los Angeles Clippers Team News:
Clippers Expected Starting Five
Forward: PF: Nicolas Batum
Wing SF: Marcus Morris Sr.
Middle: C: Ivica Zubac
Guards: SG: Terance Mann | PG: Reggie Jackson
BENCH: Amir Coffey, Robert Covington, Luke Kennard, Isaiah Hartenstein, Jay Scrubb, Moses Wright, Brandon Boston Jr.
Golden State Warriors Team News
Warriors Expected Starting Five
Wings: SF: Andrew Wiggins | SF: Jonathan Kuminga
Middle: C: Kevon Looney
Guards: PG: Jordan Poole | PG: Stephen Curry
BENCH: Moses Moody, Otto Porter Jr., Damion Lee, Juan Toscano-Anderson, Gary Payton II, Chris Chiozza, Nemanja Bjelica.
Reggie Jackson(LAC)
Points: 24
Rebounds: 05
Assists: 08
Steals: 02
Blocks: 01
Reggie Jackson is a versatile scorer who has improved his scoring since late January. He is also the leading playmaker for the team. He has scored 18 or more twice in a row and has dished 5 or more assists a game too regularly. Jackson can be selected as a Star/Pro Player in the Dream 11 NBA Fantasy scenario.
Expected Fantasy Points Range: 37-45
Stephen Curry(GSW)
Points: 24
Rebounds: 10
Assists: 08
Steals: 01
Stephen has been doing a great job scoring-wise but he has also been a prolific rebounder and playmaker for the team. Curry has been scoring 20+ points, grabbing 7 or more rebounds while dishing 8 or more assists on a regular basis.
Expected Fantasy Points Range: 40-55
Marcus Morris Sr.(LAC)
Points: 20
Rebounds: 01
Assists: 02
Steals: 01
Morris’ role keeps on expanding as the list of offensive options keeps getting trimmed. He is a genius player in the mid-range situation and can score in a 20+ points range.
Expected Fantasy Points Range: 22-30
Andrew Wiggins(GSW)
Points: 19
Rebounds: 04
Assists: 00
Steals: 01
Blocks: 01
Andrew continues to be an effective wing for the Warriors and he has been doing a great job on both ends of the floor. The wing has been in the 17-23 points and has grabbed 4 or more rebounds regularly.
Expected Fantasy Points Range: 27-37
Terance Mann(LAC)
Points: 21
Rebounds: 09
Assists: 02
Steals: 01
With Powell out, the Clippers will need Mann to expand his scoring range and the athletic guard has a lot of potential on that end. Thankfully for the Clippers, he has scored 13 or more in three games straight while grabbing 5 or more rebounds in four games straight.
Expected Fantasy Points Range: 29-38
Klay Thompson(GSW)
Points: 33
Rebounds: 05
Assists: 00
Klay has been clicking on from long range and he has hit a major offensive streak that we were accustomed to in the mid-2010s era and before his long-term injury. The Guard has been scoring in the 17-24 points range while grabbing 5 rebounds or so regularly too.
Expected Fantasy Points Range: 27-37
PG: S Curry(SP), R Jackson(PP)
SG: K Thompson
SF: A Wiggins, T Mann
PF: M Morris, J Kuminga
C: K Looney
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Great news for Indian NBA fans and if you love Curry and Jackson going at it, you are in for a treat. This contest is available on streaming platforms JIO TV and Voot are going to showcase this contest for India-residing viewers. But what if you want to catch the rest of the action? Well, you can then dive into the NBA League Pass. If you buy the annual subscription, you can get access to all live games plus you also can get the full game replay if you are to miss the live stream. To know the scores, stats, and news, go to the official website of the NBA.