Clippers vs Raptors

Kawhi Leonard leads a Clippers group that has ripped off four straight wins and gone 8-2 over its last 10, while the Raptors have stabilized at 7-3 in that span but enter this one on just a modest one-game streak. With Toronto missing key starters Jakob Poeltl and RJ Barrett and potentially limited in the backcourt by Immanuel Quickley’s back issue, their depth and rim protection are stretched much thinner than Los Angeles, which is also banged up but still has its primary engine of Leonard and James Harden intact. Harden has already shown he can control this matchup, logging a triple-double in a blowout win over Toronto in 2024, and Leonard continues to torch his former team, while Brandon Ingram and Scottie Barnes must now shoulder even more creation for a short-handed Raptors lineup. At roughly the midway point of the season the Clippers are still outside the West’s top 10 and badly need to bank wins like this to stay in the playoff hunt, whereas the Raptors are more comfortably slotted in the upper tier of the East, which slightly tilts urgency toward the road favorite. Given L.A.’s current form, star power advantage against an injury-thinned opponent, and the modest moneyline price relative to its implied edge, I like LA Clippers -143 on the moneyline at a B+ grade. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 16/01/2026 09:47 ([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/nba/preview/_/gameId/401810445))

Toronto comes in having won five of its last seven while Los Angeles has caught fire with four straight wins and 8-2 form, and in that stretch both teams are hovering around 115 points scored per night with opponents in the low 110s, which pushes their recent combined profile above this 216.5 total. The Raptors’ normally top-five defense is compromised without Poeltl in the middle and Barrett on the wing, and if Quickley is limited they lose one of their best point-of-attack defenders, all of which opens cleaner driving lanes for Harden and more spot-up looks for Leonard, who has been drilling over three triples per game across his last 10 outings. On the other side, Ingram and Barnes have been consistently productive and Ingram in particular has historically scored well against the Clippers, suggesting Toronto’s halfcourt offense should still function at a solid level even with short depth. With both teams firmly in the playoff mix and midway through the schedule, heavy minutes for the stars and a competitive, whistle-heavy game script point slightly toward points rather than a grind, so I lean Over 216.5 at -110 but only at a B- grade given Toronto’s defensive baseline and the injury uncertainty around its creators. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 16/01/2026 09:47 ([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/nba/preview/_/gameId/401810445))

James Harden has Los Angeles playing its best basketball of the season, spearheading a four-game winning streak and 8-2 surge that now meets a Raptors team whose recent 7-3 run masks a rotation missing Poeltl and Barrett and leaning heavily on Ingram and Barnes for offense. Even if Kawhi Leonard, Ivica Zubac and John Collins are managing minor issues, the Clippers’ primary scoring trio of Harden, Leonard and Brook Lopez has remained intact enough to drive efficient nights, and this same core has already shown it can win by margin in Toronto in recent seasons. Meanwhile, the Raptors’ lack of a true defensive anchor inside and a banged-up backcourt increases the risk of scoring droughts, especially against a Clippers defense that’s held opponents to around 107 points per game over the last 10 while still shooting efficiently from three. From a playoff perspective, L.A. sits outside the West’s top eight and cannot afford to squander games against undermanned opponents, whereas Toronto’s more secure seeding gives it slightly more margin for an off night, which nudges me toward the more desperate and currently hotter side to cover a short number. I’m laying the -2.5 with LA Clippers at -110 for a B grade, preferring the spread to chase a bit more value than the moneyline while still riding their superior form and health at the top of the roster. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 16/01/2026 09:47 ([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/nba/preview/_/gameId/401810445))