Los Angeles at Golden State

The L.A. Clippers can play defense for veteran Coach Doc Rivers, fifth in the NBA at defending the three-pointer. The Clippers are on a 16-7 run UNDER the total on the road, plus 15-6 UNDER away against a team with a winning home record. But this is a terrible spot, opening on the road against the No. 1 seeded Warriors, winners of three of the last four NBA championships. Los Angeles starts a pair of rookies in the backcourt in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Landry Shamet. They just played here six days ago and lost 131-104 to fall to the eighth seed in the West and are 3-8 ATS in Conference Quarterfinal games. They face a Golden State squad with no weaknesses, second in the league in scoring, third in field goal shooting defense allowed, #10 at defending beyond the arc. Golden State is on a 9-2 run UNDER the total at home, 23-8-1 UNDER following a defeat. The Warriors tend to come back with defense after a bad defensive performance, going 14-6 UNDER in the first-half this season after allowing 120+ points. And, dating back to last year, Golden State is 34-21 UNDER in the first-half at home vs. winning teams. Doc Rivers' coached teams are 19-7 UNDER in the first-half in the opening game of a playoff series and 53-29 UNDER in all first-round games. With the Warriors 26-9 ATS in Conference Quarterfinal battles, back the home team in Game 1 with more defense than oddsmakers anticipate. Play Golden State as today's Max Play, the first-half UNDER, and the full-game UNDER.