LA Clippers vs Denver Nuggets Game 1 Picks, Predictions & Odds

• The Denver Nuggets are 2.5-point home favorites in Game 1 of their Round 1 series vs the LA Clippers
• These teams split their 4-game regular season series
• See my Clippers vs Nuggets Game 1 predictions, player props, and odds on April 19

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The climb out of the ultra-competitive West goes Saturday, when the LA Clippers (50-32, 46-35-1 ATS) open their Round 1 NBA Playoff series in Denver against the Nuggets (50-32, 38-43-1 ATS). These teams finished with identical 50-32 records this year, and split their four-game regular season series right down the middle. Still, the books are leaning toward the home team in Game 1, which goes Saturday at 3:30pm ET from Ball Arena in Denver, with ESPN carrying the broadcast.

Clippers vs Nuggets Odds

The Clippers are slight 2.5-point road underdogs in the NBA odds, including a +122 on the moneyline. The Nuggets are the favorite with a -144 moneyline. The total checks in at 224 points, with the Under 5-2-1 in the last eight head-to-head matchups.

Odds as of April 19 at FanDuel. Be sure to check out the best FanDuel promo code before placing a bet on any NBA game on Saturday.

Both teams are relatively healthy for Game 1, with all their regulars expected to be in uniform. The Clippers enter the playoffs with the sixth-best NBA Championship odds, while the Nuggets are just a couple of spots below in eighth.

How close is this series expected to play out? DraftKings has the series odds dead even, with -110 odds for both the Clippers and Nuggets.

Clippers vs Nuggets Player Props

NBA props from DraftKings Sportsbook on April 18. Download the top NBA betting apps before the NBA playoffs.

No surprise here that Nikola Jokic is leading all scoring props at 27.5, while sharing a lead in both rebounds and assists. The guy just wrapped up an historic regular season, with voter fatigue likely the reason he misses his fourth MVP in five years.

Jokic finished the year second in scoring at 29.6 points, while ranking third in both rebounds (12.7) and assists 10.2).

Kawhi Leonard played just 37 games in the regular season, but he’s healthy and looks springy, a big reason LA’s title hopes are this high. He finished the year at 21.5 points, 5.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists, while shooting 49.8% from the field.

LA Clippers vs Denver Nuggets Picks

• Clippers vs Nuggets pick: Nuggets -2.5 (-110)
• Clippers vs Nuggets prop bet: Jokic Over 9.5 assists (+100)

The Clippers aren’t playing like a 5-seed heading into this one. Since March 5, they’re tied for the best record in the league, and own the top offensive rating and rank fourth in defensive rating.

A team that ranked 20th in scoring during the regular season was eighth in this closing run at 119.2 points per game, while shooting 51.6% from the field and 42.9% from 3-point range, which both led the league.

Of course, much of this has come together because of Leonard’s return to the Clippers’ lineup. A healthy Leonard gives Tyronn Lue the centerpiece of their championship hopes, as the rest of the roster slides into their slots, rather than punching above expectations.

A perfect example is Norman Powell, who doesn’t need to be the go-to scorer, but he’s a guy that put up nearly 28 points per game in four games against Denver this season.

Clippers vs Nuggets Statistical Matchup

For the Nuggets, it appears they’ve righted the ship after a major end-of-season upheaval that had both head coach Michael Malone and Calvin Booth axed with just three games to play. They ended they year with three straight wins.

We know Nikola Jokic is going to show up, but the real question is who will be adding that offensive support?

Jamal Murray came back near the end of the year after dealing with a hamstring injury, but even averaging 21.4 points per game, he was streaky at best, and hasn’t been reliable all season. Ditto Aaron Gordon, who played just 51 games with a calf injury.

Home court might not mean much anymore, but playing in the mile high air in Colorado still does. The Nuggets were 26-15 at hime this year, and have won four of the last five at home against LA.

Even if the Clippers are the deeper roster, Jokic is that good, enough that going against one of the top core-4’s in basketball (Kawhi, James Harden, Ivica Zubac and Powell), I like him being able to control the game, and put Denver in position to outscore their problems – at least for one game.