NBA Betting: Portland Trail Blazers @ Los Angeles Clippers

Portland Trail Blazers @ Los Angeles Clippers Tues. April 16, 2013 10:30 p.m. ET

The Portland Trail Blazers will take on the Los Angeles Clippers in the first of their last two games of the season on Tuesday night at the Staples Center.

With the Blazers already knocked out of playoff contention in the Western Conference, LaMarcus Aldridge and company have nothing to play for on Tuesday and will more than likely be unmotivated to get the best of a clearly better all-around team in the Clippers.

As for Los Angeles, Chris Paul and company will look to continue their dominance against West opponents by recording a 55th game on the season. The Clippers were given a favorable chance in Las Vegas odds before the start of the season to actually contend for an NBA title this year and it appears the team may make good on their chances.

Although the Clippers will have a huge challenge ahead of them in the first round of the playoffs with the Memphis Grizzlies potentially their first opponent, Los Angeles will want to be sharp and get the best of a struggling Blazers squad.

As for the Blazers, rookie Damian Lillard will be looking to make a statement against arguably one of the best point guards in the league. Lillard will be the main focus of the Clippers’ defense and will likely pose a serious problem for Paul and company, but in the end the Clippers should come out with the win; not by a margin of 15 or more points.

Prediction: Portland Trail Blazers +15 1/2

With Paul 48 percent from the field this season, there’s a good chance that the superstar point guard will hit his first field goal attempt against the Blazers on Tuesday night making this a safe bet.

Prediction: Chris Paul Will Make His First Field Goal Attempt