Vegas Play of the Day: Los Angeles Clippers at Portland Trailblazers

By Case Keefer (contact)

Wednesday, April 1, 2015 | 9:07 a.m.

The Play of the Day, which uses odds from the South Point and $10,000 starting bankrolls, pivots away from college basketball and back to the NBA for the first time in weeks.

The bad beats won’t come as furiously in the professional game, right?

Los Angeles Clippers plus-3.5 at Portland Trailblazers: $330 to win $300

This game featured an identical point spread the first time these two teams met at the Moda Center this season. The Clippers won 100-94, but their victory isn’t the reason the line should be shifted more in their favor.

Much has changed since that January encounter and not in a positive way for Portland. The Blazers looked like real threats in the Western Conference back then, but an injury to Wesley Matthews early last month makes them a long shot to even win a playoff series.

Portland has gone 7-6 straight-up, 6-7 against the spread since Matthews tore his Achilles. It’s currently on a four-game winning streak, but three of the victories came by six points or less with none of them against playoff teams.

The Blazers have lost four straight against playoff-bound competition.

The Clippers are likely their first-round opponent. The two are deadlocked in the standings with the fourth best records in the West, making this game vital for home court advantage.

That’s why it’s easy to ignore the Clippers playing a back-to-back after they fell to the Warriors 110-106 at home last night. There’s too much at risk to be tired.

Standings: Keefer (71-71-2, $10,007), Bern (71-66-1, $9,646), Brewer (63-77-3, $2,285)

Case Keefer can be reached at 948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.