The Los Angeles Clippers (50-32) and Denver Nuggets (50-32) will square off in Game 1 of their first round NBA Playoff series on Saturday afternoon. Tipoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. The game will broadcast live on ESPN.
The Nuggets are 2.5-point favorites over the Clippers on the spread (Nuggets -2.5), with the over/under set at 224 total points. Denver is a -142 favorite to win outright, while Los Angeles is +120 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Clippers vs. Nuggets predictions and NBA picks for Saturday, April 19.
Clippers vs. Nuggets Picks, Prediction
My Nuggets vs. Clippers best bet is on Los Angeles moneyline, with the best line currently available at BetMGM. But as always, make sure to shop for the best line using our live NBA odds page.
My Pick: Clippers Moneyline (+120)
Clippers vs. Nuggets Odds
| Clippers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+2.5 -110 | 224 -110o / -110u | +120 |
| Nuggets Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-2.5 -110 | 224 -110o / -110u | -142 |
- Clippers vs. Nuggets spread: Nuggets -2.5
- Clippers vs. Nuggets over/under: 224 total points
- Clippers vs. Nuggets moneyline: Clippers +120, Nuggets -142
- Clippers vs. Nuggets best bet:Clippers Moneyline (+120)
Clippers vs. Nuggets Preview
This matchup has the wildest swing factors of any first round series. If Jamal Murray looks like Jamal Murray normally does in the playoffs, Denver could run away with this and the series with more firepower. If he struggles like last offseason, it could get ugly for Denver in a hurry.
If you like the Clippers in this series, bet the Unders on the idea that the Clippers will turn over the Nuggets and hold down their offense. Even with Denver’s pitiful defense, the Clippers are a heavy-isolation team that doesn’t take a lot of threes.
If you like the Nuggets, you should look at Overs. Denver can win this series by making it a battle of firepower where they have the biggest cannon in Nikola Jokic and an arsenal of finishers. If it’s a tactical boxing match, the Clippers have the advantage with a better defense and deeper roster.
I like a lot of the matchups for Denver in this series. Aaron Gordon defending Kawhi Leonard. Jokic being able to spread Ivica Zubac to the perimeter. Jamal Murray vs. Kris Dunn. But the Clippers also just have been the much better team for the last three months of basketball, and Denver’s head coach has been on the job for 10 days.
That’s enough to think an upset is brewing.
Clippers vs. Nuggets Betting Predictions
Christian Braun Over 13.5 Points
If Kawhi Leonard guards Michael Porter Jr. so he can help off-ball and rest on defense, and Kris Dunn takes Murray, and Zubac takes Jokic, that means that one of Norman Powell or James Harden are guarding Braun.
Braun is an expert cutter. Jokic will shoot threes to force Zubac to step up which will unclog the lane for Braun’s transition attacks and surprisingly, the once weak spot on the Clippers, even after Leonard returned was their transition defense, ranking 18th in opponent transition points added after Leonard’s return on January 4.
Nikola Jokic Over 1.5 Three-Pointers Made
Jokic took the third most three-point attempts that he had against any team vs. the Clippers during the regular season. He knows that the only way to get Zubac out of the paint to open up the Nuggets’ offense is to make him defend to the three-point line. He’ll take these to test Zubac and likely make at least two. This is worth a ladder play to four as well.
Game to Go to Overtime (+1500)
I make this spread Nuggets -1. So at +1500, this is my best overtime bet of the weekend. This game projects as a close game in the altitude with both teams facing matchup and rotation challenges.
Clippers vs. Nuggets Best Bets
- Clippers Moneyline (+120)
- Nikola Jokic Over 1.5 Three-Pointers Made (-140)
- Christian Braun Over 13.5 Points (-105)
- Game to Go to Overtime (+1500)
Clippers vs. Nuggets Parlay Picks
- Nikola Jokic 30+ Points
- Clippers Moneyline
Parlay Payout: +360
Nuggets vs. Clippers Betting Trends
