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The Los Angeles Clippers are continuing their nine-game homestand against the visiting Denver Nuggets with their new addition Aaron Gordon. With that said, it’s time to continue our NBA odds series and make a Nuggets-Clippers prediction and pick.
The Nuggets currently hold a record of 29-18 and sitting in the fifth seed after three straight wins and winning seven of their last ten games.
The Clippers are coming off a very disappointing loss to the Orlando Magic on Wednesday but are sitting in the third seed in the western conference after winning seven of their last ten games.
Here’s how sportsbooks have set the opening Nuggets-Clippers odds.
NBA Odds: Nuggets-Clippers Odds
Denver Nuggets -1.5 (-115)
Los Angeles Clippers +1.5 (-105)
Over 219 Points (-110)
Under 219 Points(-110)
Why The Nuggets Could Cover The Spread
Michael Malone's squad is ranked with the third-best offensive rating and sixteenth-best defensive rating.
Nikola Jokic is leading the Nuggets team on the offensive end of the floor. The All-Star has been putting up MVP stats averaging 26.8 points, 8.5 assists, and 11.1 rebounds while shooting 57.1% from the field and 42.5% from behind the three-point line.
The front office has surrounded Jokic with some incredible talent in Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr.; as well as the most recent addition of Aaron Gordon. That said, the Nuggets have enough offensive firepower against any team even the Clippers who are ranked with the second-best offensive rating.
The area where this Denver team struggle is on the defensive end where they were ranked dead last at one point during this season. As of late, the Nuggets have been starting to figure it out but should improve significantly in the next couple of weeks with their newest addition of Gordon.
The task for this team tonight in order to cover the spread against the Clippers is to just contain Kawhi Leonard who controls the entire offense for Tyronn Lue's squad as the team battles injuries with both Paul George and Serge Ibaka out.
Why The Clippers Could Cover The Spread
The Clippers have been without George their last two games and have gone one and one.
In those two games, Leonard has been able to put up 23 points, eight assists, and nine rebounds against the Milwaukee Bucks and 28 points, five assists, and five rebounds against the Orlando Magic.
In addition to George, the Clippers have been missing Serge Ibaka, Patrick Beverley, and Marcus Morris Sr. due to injury. Fortunately, Tyronn Lue has been able to find production from his bench in particular Luke Kennard, Terrance Mann, and Ivica Zubac.
If these players can be consistent for the Clippers, it'll give them a huge boost even when George, Beverley, Ibaka, and Marcus Morris Sr. comes back.
To cover the spread against the Nuggets, the Clippers will need a huge offensive performance from Leonard and the rest of the team against a very talented Nuggets team. More importantly, Zubac for the Clippers will have to play some great one-on-one defense on Jokic.
Final Nuggets-Clippers Prediction & Pick
This matchup against the Nuggets on Thursday will be tough for the Clippers who are missing many key players in their rotation specifically George. That said, the Nuggets should cruise to an easy victory behind Jokic and Murray barring any huge offensive performance from Leonard.
FINAL SCORE PREDICTION & PICK FOR NUGGETS-CLIPPERS: DEN 120, LAC 104 (DEN -1.5)
