Tonight's NBA Games

Everyone's writing off the Clippers because they're 8-21 and look like a disaster, but that's exactly when you should pay attention. Portland's getting too much love at home despite being barely above .500 themselves at 12-18.

Here's what nobody's talking about: the Blazers play at one of the fastest paces in the league, constantly pushing tempo and jacking up early shots. The Clippers, even depleted, still have enough defensive DNA to make Portland uncomfortable in those transition situations. When teams slow down Portland's preferred runway style, the Blazers turn into a jump-shooting team that goes cold quickly.

The line screams public money on Portland getting points at home against a "bad" Clippers team. But LA's road struggles are overblown - they've actually been competitive in most games, just can't close. Portland's home advantage isn't what the record suggests either, especially against teams that can muck up the pace.

The total feels inflated based on Portland's reputation for shootouts. - this gets ugly and slow.