Clippers at Nuggets NBA Odds, Preview & Prediction.

Clippers at Nuggets NBA Odds, Preview & Prediction

Written by on January 10, 2019

It’s always a worry to bet on an NBA game with the day-before lines if one team is playing the first end of a back-to-back the night before. Of the four games this Thursday, the only one where neither team is playing the second of a B2B is Clippers at Nuggets. Denver is a monster at home and a solid NBA betting favorite.

How to Bet Clippers at Nuggets NBA Odds & Game Info

Season Series

T

hese teams have split two meetings in Los Angeles. They played in the season opener with the Clippers losing 107-98. The last meeting was Dec. 22 and L.A. rolled to a 132-111 victory. Danilo Gallinari and Tobias Harris each scored 21 points, Montrezl Harrell added 20 and the Clippers handed the Nuggets their worst loss of the season at the time. The Clippers outscored the Nuggets 80-50 in the paint and shot 57.6 percent from the field overall. The Clippers led by 11 when Nuggets star Nikola Jokic was ejected in the third quarter for screaming at an official for the second time.

The Clippers are 9-6 in the past 15 meetings and did win their last trip to Denver last season. Gallinari played five-plus seasons in Denver (2011-17).

Why Bet on LA Clippers?

The Clips won their third straight game by double digits on Tuesday, 128-109 over Charlotte. The Hornets got within two early in the third before the Clippers took control for good. They closed the period on a 17-9 run, led by Montrezl Harrell’s eight straight points, to take an 86-77 lead into the fourth.

The Clips had a season-high 11 blocks. Rookie Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had a career-high four blocks with eight points, three boards, two assists, and three steals in just 21 minutes. Gilgeous-Alexander became the first rookie guard on record to log 4+ blocks and 3+ steals in under 22 minutes of playing time. “He’s playing hard, he’s working on his game, he’s doing all the right things, but he has struggled,” coach Doc Rivers said. “He needs help. He doesn’t know his way out of the woods yet. That’s what we’re here for.”

Lou Williams double-doubled with 27 points, 10 assists, three boards, one block and two triples in 25 minutes. He had 14 of his points in the fourth quarter. Ove the past 10 games, Williams is averaging 22.0 points, 6.1 assists, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.7 triples in just 25 minutes per night.

Harrell had 23 points, 11 rebounds, five assists, and two steals in 30 minutes. He finished 9-of-13 from the field and 5-of-7 from the line. The five helpers matched a season-high and were one off his career-high of six. He has had six games with at least 20 points since Dec. 15.

The Clippers (24-16) are on a 49-win pace. Through 40 games last season, L.A. was 19-21.

Why Bet on Denver?

The Nuggets were 103-99 winners in Miami on Tuesday. Nikola Jokic had his fourth triple-double of the season — 29 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists — and his high-arching shot in the lane with 2.4 seconds left was the winner. The Nuggets outrebounded Miami 50-38 and had a 23-11 edge in second-chance points. Impressive win considering it came on the second night of a back-to-back that started Monday in Houston, and without Gary Harris — sidelined with left hamstring tightness.

Malik Beasley started for Harris and hit 4-of-9 shots and 1-of-6 3-pointers for nine points, one rebound and two assists in 36 minutes. Over his last six games, he is averaging 14.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.0 assists in 26.4 minutes while shooting .500 from the field and .441 from beyond the arc. Torrey Craig made another start on Tuesday as well and went off for 11 points, a career-high 16 rebounds, four assists, and three 3-pointers.

Clippers at Nuggets on Thursday Night should be a close one.

The Nuggets’ record of 27-12 ties the best start to a season in Nuggets NBA franchise history (1976-77). It had also been a while since Denver sat atop the Western Conference, as they currently hold the top spot of the West. It is the latest in a season the Nuggets have been in first place of the conference since March 16, 1977, when they were 43-26.

The Nuggets have dished out 30+ assists in a game 12 times this season and their record is 43-9 under Coach Mike Malone’s tenure when accomplishing this. Denver ranks second in the NBA averaging 27.2 assists per game and they are converting those assists at a high rate, ranking second in the league with 65.4% of their field goals coming off an assist.

Clippers at Nuggets NBA Betting Trends

  • Favorite is 6-1 ATS in the last 7 meetings
  • Home team is 7-3 ATS in the last 10 meetings
  • Under is 36-17 in the last 53 meetings
  • LA is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 games
  • LA is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
  • The total has gone UNDER in 4 of LA Clippers’s last 6 games
  • Denver is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games
  • Denver is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
  • The total has gone OVER in 5 of Denver’s last 6 games

Expert NBA Betting Prediction for Clippers at Nuggets

Nuggets have won past 10 at home – make it 11 and they cover.