The Los Angeles Clippers will travel to Denver for a one-game road trip against the Nuggets on Sunday. Check out the latest odds, picks and prediction for this exciting match-up.
Los Angeles comes into this game with a 33-29 record, good for fifth place in the Western Conference. However, the Clippers’ first game after the All-Star break was a loss in double overtime to the Kings.
Following a win over the Cavaliers on Thursday and a loss to the Grizzlies on Saturday, the Nuggets extended their five-game lead in the West to 42-19.
Denver leads the season series against Los Angeles 3-0, but the Clippers still have a lot to play for in this game, as every game down the stretch is crucial for Western Conference seeding. Continue reading for the odds, betting preview, and prediction for the Los Angeles Clippers vs. Denver Nuggets game.
The Clippers’ defense is struggling
The Clippers entered the All-Star break on a two-game winning streak. However, Los Angeles’ first game back from the break was a tough loss to Sacramento.
The Clippers gave up 176 points in that game against the Kings. That point total was the result of two overtime periods, but Sacramento still managed to score 153 points in regulation in a game that lacked defensive resistance.
That has been a consistent trend for the Clippers since the start of 2023, and it is a major concern heading into this matchup against arguably the best offense in the NBA.
Prior to January 1st, Los Angeles had the NBA’s fifth-best Defensive Rating of 110.0. Since the year 2023, that rating has risen to 117.9, ranking 25th in the NBA during that time.
That spike, which may come as a surprise to some, can be attributed to the Clippers’ vulnerability on the perimeter. Since January 1st, Los Angeles has ranked last in the NBA in Opponent Three-Point Percentage (40.6%), an area of the court that this team can’t seem to consistently guard. This game could be a great opportunity for some NBA online betting action.
Predictions: The Nuggets are hoping to make a comeback at home
As a 2.5-point underdog, the Nuggets defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 115-109 in their first game after the All-Star break.
On Saturday, they traveled to Memphis to face the Grizzlies. However, Denver was defeated 112-94 by the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, owing to a 40% overall and 30% from beyond the arc shooting performance.
After a brief two-game road trip, the Nuggets return home, where they have dominated opponents all season.
Denver has the No. 1 Home Net Rating in the NBA this season, according to NBA.com, with +11.3. That is 1.3 points more than the next-closest team (Memphis), demonstrating why this team leads the West by five games.
The Net Rating is the sum of the offensive rating (121.6) and the defensive rating (109.7). This team has a lot of offensive firepower, and when that is combined with stellar defense, Denver becomes a challenge for any opponent.
Pick: Clippers vs. Nuggets
Despite the fact that we have a motivated Clippers team taking on a Nuggets team that is playing the second leg of a back-to-back, I believe Denver is well-positioned to rebound.
As previously stated, Los Angeles has struggled to defend the perimeter in 2023. That can cause issues against any opponent on any given night, but it will almost certainly be a major issue against a Nuggets team that is shooting an incredible 41.3% from behind the arc at home this season. That percentage is the highest in the NBA.
Furthermore, the Nuggets have been the best team in terms of covering the spread at home, with an ATS record of 20-10-1, according to TeamRankings.
Memphis is a fantastic defensive team, so I’m not surprised Denver struggled last night. On that end of the floor, the Clippers are a much softer matchup, and I expect the best offense in the NBA to take advantage and go up 4-0 in the season series.
