Los Angeles Clippers at Denver Nuggets Betting Preview/Prop Picks

Two teams searching for a win, face-off when the Clippers take on the Nuggets. Los Angeles has lost three straight games, the most recent to the Utah Jazz.

Now, with Nikola Jokic in front of them, the Clippers have to find a way to win this game. Although their spot in the Western Conference isn’t in jeopardy yet, it could be. So, what do they need to do to win this game?

The Denver Nuggets haven’t exactly been consistent lately either. They’ve lost two games in a row and could lose their position to the Timberwolves.

With the playoffs quickly approaching, the Nuggets need to get their team back on track quickly. How can Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets win this game on Tuesday night? More importantly, who is best suited to cover the spread?

Los Angeles Clippers: How can they stop Jokic in the paint?

One of the most glaring questions for the Clippers is how can they stop Nikola Jokic? Jokic averages 26.1 points per game, along with eight assists.

He’s the most dominant force on the Nuggets, so they need to find a way to slow him down. Ivica Zubac will be tasked with guarding Jokic, so expect some physical play. The question is, will it make a difference in Jokic’s game?

Los Angeles as an offense ranks among the worst in the NBA, coming in at 25th. On average, they score just 106.67 points per game. This offense, paired with the injuries, is what has hurt the Clippers all season.

Unfortunately, they’ll come into this game at a massive disadvantage, especially offensively. They’ll also be without a few bench players that would help the rotation.

Denver Nuggets: Denver needs this win more than the Clippers

The Denver Nuggets are in danger of losing their position to the Minnesota Timberwolves. They sit at No.6 in the Western Conference right now, with Minnesota just a game behind. The Nuggets have played out of character in recent weeks.

In their last game, they faced the Boston Celtics and were blown out 124-104. When playing the Cleveland Cavaliers, they lost 119-116.

To get their team back on track, the Nuggets need to get back to the basics. Finding ways to get Jokic the ball in the paint is a good start. If they can get Jokic good looks, they should win this game.

However, it doesn’t help that they’ve been awful against the spread this season. At home, they have a surprising 13-21 ATS record. So, can you trust the Nuggets to win?

Los Angeles Clippers at Denver Nuggets Betting Pick

When these two teams last faced, it was in mid-January of this year. The Nuggets came into the game as 9.5-point favorites. They won the game, 130-128, but failed to cover the large spread.

In this game, the Nuggets are only 6.5-point favorites, a much more favorable margin. Because of this, we’ll take the Nuggets to win and cover the spread.

Nikola Jokic is the main key of this game, and the Clippers will have a hard time stopping him. They’ll also have to worry about Aaron Gordon and Monte Morris as well. We’d recommend taking the over in this game as Jokic is set to dominate the interior tonight. 

DunkelIndex Free Pick: Denver Nuggets -6.5, OVER

Prop Picks

Denver (-110) OVER 115.5 Points

Denver is averaging 111.3 points per game on offense, which ranks No. 12 in the league, while shooting 47.7 percent from the field, which ranks No. 3. Scores have gone OVER in 18 of the Nuggets’ last 27 home games.

With Dunkel predicting a Denver victory by the score of 123-107, take the Nuggets (-110) to finish OVER their Vegas team total of 115.5 points against the Clippers.

Nikola Jokic (-105) OVER 26.5 Points

Jokic is averaging 26.1 points per game, which ranks No. 9 in the league. That average increases to 30.1 points per game over his last 10 games and 32.0 points per game in his three games versus the Clippers this season.

With Dunkel predicting a Denver home win tonight while going OVER their team total, take the Jokic (-105) to lead the way and finish OVER his Vegas total of 26.5 points against the Clippers.

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