USA NEWS TODAY : The NBA action doesn’t stop for the holidays. Tonight, the LA Clippers (8-21) travel to the Pacific Northwest to face the Portland Trail Blazers (12-18) in a Western Conference showdown at the Moda Center. With both teams missing key starters, this game has become a battle of depth and bench production.
If you are looking to catch the action in real-time, here is your complete guide to watching the game live and what to expect from this high-stakes matchup.
How to Watch: Clippers vs Trail Blazers Live
- Tip-off Time: 10:00 PM ET / 7:00 PM PT
- TV Channel: Amazon Prime Video (National)
- Live Stream: Watch Now via Prime Video
- Radio: Rip City Radio 620 AM (Portland) / AM 570 KLAC (Los Angeles)
The Storyline: Battle of the Bigs
The headline for tonight is the absence of Clippers’ star center Ivica Zubac, who remains out with an ankle injury. This leaves a massive void in the paint for Los Angeles—one that Portland’s rookie sensation Donovan Clingan is expected to exploit.
Clingan has been on a tear, averaging 12.0 rebounds over his last 20 games. Without Zubac to contest him, Clingan is projected to dominate the glass, particularly on the offensive end where he currently ranks among the league’s elite.
Key Matchups to Watch:
- James Harden vs. Deni Avdija: Harden continues to carry the offensive load for the Clippers, averaging 26.0 PPG. He’ll be chased all night by Avdija, who has emerged as Portland’s primary playmaker and leading scorer this season.
- Kawhi Leonard’s Workload: Coming off a season-high 41 points earlier this week, the Clippers will need another “Vintage Kawhi” performance to overcome their short-handed roster.
Betting Odds & Insights
- Spread: Clippers -2.5
- Moneyline: Clippers -146 | Trail Blazers +122
- Over/Under: 227.5
Despite being the away team and heavily undermanned, the Clippers remain slight favorites. However, Portland has been a “giant killer” at home recently, winning 21 of their last 34 games at the Moda Center on the fourth-quarter moneyline.
Injury Report
- LA Clippers: Ivica Zubac (Out), Bradley Beal (Out – Season), Derrick Jones Jr. (Out).
- Portland Trail Blazers: Damian Lillard (Out – Season), Scoot Henderson (Out), Jerami Grant (Out), Jrue Holiday (Out).
With both teams missing their traditional superstars, tonight’s game will likely be decided by which “Next Man Up” can handle the 10:00 PM ET spotlight.