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The Denver Nuggets (53-23) meet the LA Clippers (47-28) Thursday in the nightcap of the national TNT doubleheader. Tip-off at Crypto.com Arena is scheduled for 10 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Nuggets vs. Clippers odds and make our expert NBA picks and predictions.
Season series: Nuggets lead 2-1
The Clippers are 2-1 against the spread (ATS) in the 3-head-to-head meetings and the Under cashed in all 3. They last met Dec. 6 with the Clippers 111-102 at home and covering as 1.5-point favorites.
The Nuggets have won 8 of the past 9 meetings in this series, while covering at a 6-2 ATS clip in the past 8 outings.
Denver picked up a 110-105 home win Tuesday against the San Antonio Spurs, although it came nowhere near covering as a 15.5-point favorite. The Under has hit in 3 of the Nuggets’ past 4 outings.
LA is coming off a 109-95 humbling at Sacramento, and the Clips are actually under .500 in the past 13 outings, going 6-7 straight (SU). LA is 1-6 ATS in the past 7 games, and 4-12 ATS across the past 16 outings. The Under is 2-1 in the past 3 outings, but the Over is still a dominant 6-2 in the previous 8 contests.
Nuggets at Clippers odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 5:05 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Nuggets -175 (bet $175 to win $100) | Clippers +145 (bet $100 to win $145)
- Against the spread: Nuggets -3.5 (-115) | Clippers +3.5 (-105)
- Over/Under (O/U): 221.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
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Nuggets at Clippers key injuries
Nuggets
- F Aaron Gordon (knee) probable
- C Nikola Jokic (hip) probable
- G Jamal Murray (knee) out
Clippers
- F Kawhi Leonard (knee) out
For most recent updates: Official NBA injury report.
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Nuggets at Clippers picks and predictions
Prediction
Nuggets 111, Clippers 105
Moneyline
The Nuggets (-175) are moderate favorites in this Western Conference marquee matchup. While Murray is sidelined for the defending champs, the Clippers (+145) continue to be without Leonard, which is a huge absence.
Look for Denver to maintain its mastery in the series with a solid win on the road. The Nuggets are 7-1 SU in the past 8 on the road, including a win at Crypto.com Arena against the Lakers March 2.
Unless you don’t want to lay the 3.5 points with the spread (below), a ML bet on Denver (-175) is a reasonable wager.
Against the spread
The NUGGETS -3.5 (-115) are worth a look laying the 2 buckets on the road. Denver is just 1-3 ATS in the past 4 games, and 3-6 ATS in the past 9 outings. However, on the road, it is a respectable 5-3 ATS in the past 8 outings.
The Clippers +3.5 (-105) are a different team without their leading scorer, Leonard, missing his 23.7 points per game (PPG), as well as his ability to clean the glass, as he has 6.1 rebounds per game (RPG), too.
Over/Under
UNDER 221.5 (-110) is worth a look in this late-window TNT game.
The Under cashed in Sacto on Tuesday, as the Clippers mustered just 95 points without Kawhi on the floor. The Under is 2-1 in the past 3 games after a 5-0 run to the Over, and the total is likely to trend low as long as Leonard is in street clothes, especially against teams with a decent defense.
Denver allows just 109.8 PPG to rank 6th in the NBA, according to covers.com, and it allows teams to hit just 46.4% from the field, and 35.7% from behind the 3-point line, ranking top-10 in both categories.
The Under is on a 3-1 run for the Nuggets in the past 4 games, and Denver has allowed 105 or fewer points in 4 of the past 5 outings.
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