Los Angeles at Golden State

It has been a wild ride through five games in this series. Each team has had 20+ point blowout wins, while the other three games have been decided by a combined 16 points. It is in those three games that should be more representative here in a closeout road game for the Clippers. The Clippers have been able to impose their offensive will in the three played in LA, where they have lit up the scoreboard for an average of 118.7 points per game. That has not been the case on the road vs. Golden State where they have yet to see the 100-point mark in the two games played at the Oracle. The Clippers have yet to score 50 in the first half of each of the first two played here, and know that Golden State is facing elimination and are going to come out with an assertive defensive presence in the first half. Doc Rivers has been through enough playoffs games to have his Clippers ready to match the level of intensity early. The competive games in this series have been lower scoring, so I look for this one to open up in defensive fashion as well. Play on the first half UNDER.