The Los Angeles Clippers have been going without Chris Paul for quite some time now, but they look forward to having him in the lineup on Friday night as they take on the San Antonio Spurs at the Staples Center. However, that is not a "slam dunk," so to speak, as Paul looks like a gametime decision, despite the fact that he has been medically cleared to play. Coach Doc Rivers wants to make sure everything is in order, so with or without the All-Star point guard, the Clippers will engage with the Spurs at 10:35 PM ET, and, with ESPN televising the game, BetAnySports customers, who get reduced juice before the opening tip, will be able to place wagers in real time through the magic of Live Betting Ultra.

Rivers has said that Paul looks pretty good in practice, but that he was a little "hesitant." He insists that he wants the point guard to be 100% when he takes the floor. Maybe that's wise, but remember that the Clippers are in an all-out battle for fourth place in the Western Conference. At 35-22, they are tied with the Utah Jazz for the right to have home court advantage in a first-round playoff series. So every game counts big, obviously.

And the Clippers, without Paul, folded in the second half against the Golden State Warriors last night, giving up 50 points in the third quarter, and seeing their 12-point halftime lead evaporate. The final was 123-113, and Golden State shot 53% on the evening. Los Angeles was getting 13.5 points, so it was indeed a cover, and if it's any consolation, they have beaten the number and 53 games.

In the basketball betting odds that have been posted on this game by the folks at BetAnySports, the Spurs are the favored on the road:

San Antonio Spurs -3.5
Los Angeles Clippers +3.5

Over 210 points -110
Under 210 points -110

The Clippers have won both games between these teams this season, with San Antonio shooting just over 40%. That's a real letdown for this team, and remember that San Antonio has the second-best record in the NBA at 43-13. Whether they catch the Warriors are not for the overall home court advantage throughout the playoffs (they are 4.5 games back in the standings), the Spurs might find themselves facing the Clippers in the second round. So people who watch these games might want to pay attention to the places in which Los Angeles has a matchup advantage.

Pau Gasol, who has been sitting out for about as long as Chris Paul has, has been penciled into the lineup tonight, having recovered from his broken hand. Gasol provides some needed muscle up front, in support of teammates like LaMarcus Aldridge and Kawhi Leonard. The average is 11.7 points and 7.9 rebounds per game.

BetAnySports patrons should take note that San Antonio has played seven of its last nine games under the total, and that is because they have put forth a pretty solid defensive effort. Only twice in the last 10 games as any team reach 45% shooting from the field, and in addition to that, San Antonio, which is coming back for first game after the All-Star break, is 16-3 against the spread against teams that have averaged more than 106 points per game. The Clippers are usually a pretty good shooting team at home (48%), so this should be a spirited duel, even if Paul can't play.

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