Nuggets vs Clippers Game Analysis
As the first two games of this series have shown, these two teams are very closely matched—at least they were while playing in Denver. But they also split their four regular-season meetings 2-2.
Saturday’s Game 1 went to overtime, where the Nuggets squeezed out a 112-110 win. Game 2 was almost as close, but this time, Los Angeles outplayed Denver 105-102.
The next two games will occur in Inglewood, California, where the home fans might tip the scales towards the Clippers.
Denver Nuggets Recent Scores
The Nuggets ended the regular season with a 5-5 record in their last ten games. However, they were on an upswing, winning their last three games of the season, including beating the Rockets 126-111. Houston didn’t need the win, but Denver did. It was a close race for third place right till the end. The Lakers, Nuggets, and Clippers all tied with 50 wins, but because LA had the most conference wins (36), they took the #3 seed.
Los Angeles Clippers Recent Scores
The Clippers made a monumental push in their last ten games of the regular season, winning eight straight. With their 9-1 record in their last ten games, LA wasn’t the only team to mount a surge of wins for a better playoff berth. The Timberwolves managed an 8-2 record and the Warriors, 7-3, to get past the Grizzlies, who still managed to make it into the playoffs through the play-in tournament.
Top Players Need Support: Nuggets vs Clippers Prediction
After a year of injuries, both teams are relatively healthy going into their third game. Seth Lundy will be out with an ankle injury for the Clippers, while the Nuggets have DaRon Holmes II listed as out with an Achilles issue.
Turnovers were a concern for the Clippers in Game 1, as they had 20 of them (7 by Kawhi Leonard). This was instrumental in their loss, but they improved in Game 2 with only 11 turnovers. Leonard made up for his turnovers in Game 1 with 39 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals in Game 2. They have one of the top defenses in the NBA, with Ivica Zubac, Kris Dunn, and Derrick Jones Jr. They’ve done well stifling Jamal Murray, who has looked inconsistent and inefficient in this series.
One of the critical aspects of the Denver game is whether Nikola Jokić is on the floor or the bench. In Game 1, Denver’s net rating was +10.5 when Jokić was playing, but it was in the negative at -9.5 when he was on the bench. That’s a giant swing based on one man. Basically, that’s the difference between a team winning and losing.
This series depends on Jokić and Leonard playing at an elite level, but unless Denver can surprise the Clippers, expect LA to win a close one, 110-107. Remember to stay connected with us at PayPerHead never to miss an NBA article in these playoffs.
