The Denver Nuggets host the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 2 of their Western Conference quarterfinal series Monday night at Ball Arena. Tipoff is set for 10:00PM ET. Denver leads the series 1-0 after holding off the Clippers 112-110 in overtime.
Los Angeles had 20 turnovers in Game 1, including seven from Kawhi Leonard. Denver used a late push from Nikola Jokic and Russell Westbrook to close out the win. The teams now meet for the sixth time this season, with Denver winning four of the last five.
Nuggets Preview – Looking to Hold Serve at Home
Denver finished the regular season with a 50-32 record, good for fourth in the West. They went 27-15 at home and are 24-17 against the spread as the home team. The Nuggets rank 6th in field goal percentage and 7th in three-point shooting at 37.3%.
Nikola Jokic led the way in Game 1 with 29 points, 12 assists, and 9 rebounds. Aaron Gordon added 25 points on 8-of-14 shooting. Jamal Murray scored 21 and grabbed 9 rebounds despite shooting just 7-of-20 from the floor.
Michael Porter Jr. was limited to just four shot attempts and 3 points. Coach David Adelman went with Westbrook down the stretch for defense and energy. Denver held the Clippers to just 13 second-chance points and forced timely stops late in overtime.
Clippers Preview – Cleaning Up the Turnovers
The Clippers ended the regular season at 49-32 and finished fifth in the West. They went 20-22 on the road and are 47-35-1 against the spread overall. Offensively, they shot 48.2% from the field this season, ranking 6th in the NBA.
James Harden was the top scorer in Game 1 with 32 points and 11 assists. Kawhi Leonard had 22 points on 9-for-15 shooting but committed 7 turnovers. Ivica Zubac gave them a strong inside presence with 21 points and 13 rebounds.
The Clippers scored 36 points in the paint in the first half but moved away from that approach after halftime. They also gave up 16 fast-break points and allowed Denver to score key baskets late. Los Angeles committed 20 total turnovers and will need to clean that up to even the series.
Betting Prediction
Denver is a 2-point favorite with the total at 215.5. Game 1 stayed under the total, and the under has hit in six of the last ten meetings between these two teams. Both teams shot well, but turnovers and second-chance points were the difference.
The Clippers played well for most of Game 1, but late mistakes cost them. If they limit turnovers, they have a good shot to bounce back. Look for another close game, but Denver has been more consistent at home. A final score around 110-107 makes sense.
Pick: Denver Nuggets -2 over Los Angeles Clippers
Another tight game in this series. The first went to overtime, and the Clippers are looking to even up the series. In the end, though, Denver gets it done and takes a 2-0 lead heading to Los Angeles. The final bet is the Nuggets over the Clippers on Monday.
