Two of the hottest teams in the Western Conference meet Wednesday night in the Big Easy as the New Orleans Hornets host the Los Angeles Clippers. This game may have lost a bit of its luster due to LA losing last night in Memphis, but they were able to cash as 5.5-point underdogs for the seventh consecutive ATS victory. The Hornets will be favored by the same amount here as they try and rebound from their first loss of the new year. BetUS Sportsbook has opened the total at 192.5 points.

The home/road dichotomy is strong in this matchup as the Clippers come in at 5-11 straight up when playing away from Staples Center and the Hornets are 14-3 on their home floor. Further illustrating this point is the fact that Los Angeles has now lost five straight road games and six of its last seven. New Orleans has won six straight at "The Hive," holding all foes to 99 points or less.

Another factor to consider here is that the Clippers are 0-11 ATS the last 11 games in this head to head series, also losing all of those games straight up. The teams met twice in the month of November with the Hornets winning big at Staples, 112-84 as 1.5-point chalk, and then again eight days later, this time as a 2.5-point home dog, 110-102. Hornets PG Chris Paul did not play in that second meeting. Note that the Clippers are just 8-21 ATS when playing with revenge for a loss where the opposing team scored 110 or more points.

Extraordinary circumstances certainly played a role in the Clippers loss Tuesday night in Memphis. The game was delayed 36 minutes to due a water line break in the FedEx Forum with Los Angeles holding a 12 point lead very late in the third quarter. They would be outscored 27-13 the rest of the way, snapping a four-game win streak. Center Chris Kaman, the reigning Western Conference Player of the Week (who had been averaging better than 20-10 during the win streak) missed the game due to a sore back. On a positive note, G Baron Davis did record the franchise's first triple double in seven years with 27 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists.

New Orleans had its own six-game win streak snapped Monday night against Philadelphia of all teams, losing 96-92 in a game they were favored by two at the betting window.

Totals players take note that the last four meetings between the teams here in New Orleans have all gone Over.

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