With around 10 games remaining on the regular season docket, the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Clippers are looking to solidify their stances within the Western Conference playoff picture. LA currently holds a comfy two-game lead over Denver for the No. 3 seed in the West, but they could just as easily propel themselves into the No. 2 seed should they take care of business against the Suns in Phoenix on Wednesday night. The Nuggs got two games set to go against the Pelicans and Raptors before this third and final throw down with the Clippers. With much more to gain by winning this matchup at online sportsbooks, look for the Clippers to go all-out in hopes of defending its court to better its overall playoff positioning; even with Kawhi Leonard riding the pine and Paul George possibly working on a gimpy ankle. But will that be enough?
This Western Conference skirmish is set to go down live on Saturday, May 1, 2021. Tip-off is set for 10 p.m. ET from the Staples Center. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN. We'll have NBA odds available at BookMaker.eu for this and every game on today’s loaded NBA slate.
NBA Odds at BookMaker.eu
Odds Analysis
While the loss of Jamal Murray was huge in the overall picture, the Nuggs are yet to feel the full effects of lacing ‘em up without their All-Star scorer. Since going down to the knee injury that will cost him the remainder of the season, Denver has gone on to log wins in six of its seven played games and went on to cover the closing NBA odds in three of those matchups. Linemakers had Nikola Jokic and company installed favorites for each and every one of those tilts, but that likely won’t be the case in this one. The Nuggets haven’t been lucrative investments catching points on the road where they’ve gone 3-4 SU and ATS overall. The Clippers have also been getting the job done without their best player winning three of the four games sans Leonard. Unfortunately, the outright wins over Portland, Memphis and Houston didn’t equate to pointspread covers. LA will return from Phoenix looking to build upon its current seven-game home winning streak (6-1 ATS).
Denver Nuggets
After starting out slowly falling into a 10 point first quarter point hole against the Rockets, Denver made it a point to be more competitive from the outset last time out against Memphis. The game was nip and tuck through three quarters, but then the Nuggets put it into overdrive in the fourth outscoring the Grizzlies by 14 points to log the impressive 120-96 win and cover as 4-point favorites. After going off for a career-high 39 points against Houston the game prior, Michael Porter Jr. would go for a team-high 31 points on 12 of 19 shooting to lead Denver to a second straight win. The Nuggets will hit the road for this Tinseltown two-step looking to improve upon its 18-11 SU and 15-14 ATS records as visitors.
Los Angeles Clippers
While the Clippers have been winning games recently, it needed to dig down deep in a few of them just to come out on top. It barely skated past Portland to earn the 113-112 win and non-cover as 4.5-point favorites, and then needed to put forth a huge fourth quarter effort to log the 109-104 non-covering win against Houston a few games later. It all caught up to them last time out in New Orleans where Zion Williamson and company handed them an ugly 120-103 outright defeat as 2-point home dogs after getting out to a commanding first quarter lead. It was a harsh reminder as to just how important No. 2 is to the team’s overall success. Only the Jazz, Nets and 76ers have dropped fewer games at home where LA clocks in 24-8 SU and 20-12 ATS overall.
Denver vs. Los Angeles Prediction
Though the Nuggets likely won’t be intimidated heading into this matchup considering they ousted the Clippers in the Western Conference semis last season, those games were held on a neutral court in the bubble. It’ll be a whole different ball game with this third and final meeting of the regular season taking place on the Staples Center hardwood with the Clippers cardboard cutouts in attendance. Denver is sure to get a game effort from LA who hasn’t looked great of late. But that’s just it. I’ve come away much more impressed with Denver’s overall body of work sans its superstar than that of LA’s. With that, I’ll gladly take any points linemakers offer up for this contest, and will take a stab at Denver alternate pointspreads as well to create a little more bang for my buck! Denver already logged a 101-94 outright win at LA back on April 1 and I see no reason as to why they can’t do it again as shorthanded the Clippers currently are.
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