Tonight should be a very interesting matchup and one worth watching closely.
The Los Angeles Clippers are coming off a historic double-overtime loss to the Sacramento Kings but combined for 351 points — the second most in a game in league history. Kawhi Leonard is back and I expect him to continue his strong play again tonight.
The Denver Nuggets will look to bounce back after a disappointing showing against the Grizzlies where they clearly looked overmatched from beginning to end. They can’t afford to let the Clippers roll into Denver and secure a victory.
Find out where the betting value lies with my free NBA betting picks for Nuggets vs. Clippers below.
Clippers vs Nuggets best odds
Clippers vs Nuggets picks and predictions
The Denver Nuggets are coming off of a major beatdown at the hands of the Grizzlies. In limited minutes, Ja Morant & Co. scored whenever they wanted and completely stunted the Nuggets' offensive attack from the beginning. That type of performance certainly has to leave MVP voters with a sore taste about making Nikola Jokic a three-time MVP.
Nonetheless, the Los Angeles Clippers — after adding new starting point guard Russell Westbrook to the mix — will look to take advantage of the Nuggets on the second night of a back-to-back. I’m expecting Westbrook to settle into the offense even more tonight and create a ton of problems for Denver.
One thing that was apparent right away on Friday was that Westbrook remains one of the most explosive players in the NBA. He crafted a ton of pressure, scored when necessary, and dished out 14 assists. Tonight, he matches up with Jamal Murray, who simply isn’t big, strong, or athletic enough to keep up with a motivated Westbrook.
Russ has performed well against Denver this season, combining for 26 or more points and assists in all three matchups this season. In the last game against Denver, Westbrook accounted for 25 points and seven assists.
With the Clippers, it’s evident Westbrook is the unquestioned dominant ball handler to set up the offense. He’s going to get a ton of opportunities to score and assist. Denver will be on tired legs after playing last night and should set up Westbrook for a nice game.
Denver has a very formidable offense, and while its defense is respectable, it's not among the best in the league. The Nuggets rank 12th in defensive rating and I'm expecting Russ to push the pace and further assert himself into the Clippers' starting lineup.
While Westbrook is not as good as Ja Morant in 2023, they still play a very similar brand of basketball and that’s one that could give the Nuggets team major issues. Denver doesn’t possess a ton of athleticism which gives Westbrook a big advantage.
My best bet: Russell Westbrook Over 20.5 points + assists (-128)
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Clippers vs Nuggets spread analysis
For tonight’s matchup between Western Conference powerhouses, the spread is currently available between -2.5 and -3 in favor of the Nuggets at home.
After the disappointing performance displayed in Denver against the Grizz, the Clippers have a good shot at securing a victory and covering the spread here tonight.
Superstar forward Kawhi Leonard has looked as close to his former self more than ever of late and played the most minutes in a regular-season game in his career Friday night. That’s a very positive sign for someone who has been load-managed so much in recent years,
The Nuggets simply have no answers for Leonard when he’s playing up to his potential. In his last 10 games, Leonard is averaging 27.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 4.6 assists. Michael Porter, never known for his defense, will have a great deal of trouble keeping up if Aaron Gordon isn’t available to play.
This does get tricky when you factor in all three of Denver’s wins against the Clippers this season have been by at least 10 points. Denver is 21-10 ATS at home and 4-0 ATS in the last four games following a loss, but this will be a difficult spot for Denver in no rest and the Clippers having their full team together.
The trends say Denver should bounce back, but with Leonard back to being a legit superstar and Westbrook in the lineup, the Clippers can’t be overlooked here tonight.
Clippers vs Nuggets Over/Under analysis
The Over/Under for tonight’s game is currently set at 233.5. That number does seem rather reasonable as both of these teams can really score the ball when things are clicking.
The Clippers are coming off a historical battle with the Kings in the second-highest-scoring game in NBA history. Los Angeles ended with 175 points in that matchup, with Kawhi and Paul George combining for 78 points.
Here are a few things to consider tonight: The highest total of the three matchups this season between Denver and Los Angeles is 218. The Over is 4-1 in the Nuggets’ last five home games and is 4-0 in the Clippers’ last four games when they score 125 or more in the previous game.
Clippers vs Nuggets betting trend to know
The Over is 4-0 in the Clippers' last four games after scoring more than 125 points in their previous game. Find more NBA betting trends for Clippers vs. Nuggets.
Clippers vs Nuggets game info
| Location: | Ball Arena, Denver, CO |
| Date: | Sunday, February 26, 2023 |
| Tip-off: | 10:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | ESPN |
