Nuggets vs. Clippers Betting Line
Carrie Stroup here with your Nuggets vs. Clippers betting line courtesy of Sportsbook.ag here.
DENVER NUGGETS (18-2) at LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS (30-14)
Sportsbook.ag Line: Los Angeles -13.5, Total: 214
The Clippers look to win their fifth straight game when they host the Nuggets on Monday night.
Los Angeles is rolling right now with four consecutive wins (2-2 ATS), including a 120-100 win-and-cover in Phoenix on Sunday. The club has been excellent defensively over the past three games, allowing just 92.3 PPG compared to the 100.1 PPG (18th in NBA) that it gives up on the season. Things won’t come as easy on that side of the ball against a Denver team that is scoring 101.9 PPG (10th in NBA). The Nuggets have, however, lost their sixth straight game (1-4-1 ATS) on Sunday with a 117-115 home defeat to the Wizards, and will play six of the next seven games on the road. Denver has held opponents to under 100 points in just three of its past 17 games.
Earlier in the season, the Nuggets beat the Clippers 109-106 as three-point home underdogs, and now hold a 5-3 advantage (SU and ATS) versus Los Angeles. The Clippers, however, have won four straight games at home SU against the Nuggets. They’ve covered in each of the past three meetings and are 7-3 (SU and ATS) when hosting Denver since 2008.
This Los Angeles team is 14-4 ATS revenging a SU loss versus an opponent as a road favorite over the past two seasons and 83-57 ATS in January home games since 1996. Fortunately for the Nuggets, the Clippers are also 7-17 ATS after three straight games committing 14 or less turnovers this season. Denver C JaVale McGee (leg) is not likely to play in this game, but he is the only significant injury for either team.
The Nuggets are really struggling lately, losing their sixth straight game in a home loss against the Wizards on Sunday. PG Ty Lawson (17.0 PPG, 10.0 APG, 1.3 SPG) returned to the court after being held out due to legal issues on Friday. Lawson scored 31 points and dished out 12 assists in 42 minutes. He’ll need to be on his game against Los Angeles, or Chris Paul will really make things difficult on Denver.
Another guy who will really need to play well in this one is PF Kenneth Faried (11.9 PPG, 9.1 RPG). Faried had just nine points in a loss to Washington on Sunday, but he did grab 11 rebounds. In the previous two contests, Faried averaged 18.5 PPG and 14.0 RPG. Denver will need him to play more like he did in those games than he did on Sunday.
SF Wilson Chandler (14.0 PPG, 5.9 RPG) got hot against the Wizards, scoring 20 points in 38 minutes of action. He also grabbed nine rebounds in the game and he should be able to get some easy buckets against a Clippers team that lacks depth at the small forward position.
C Jusuf Nurkic (6.6 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 1.1 BPG) will need to stay out of foul trouble in this game. He’s had four or more fouls in five of the past eight games he’s played in, and Denver will desperately need him to stay on the court in order to keep C DeAndre Jordan in line.
The Clippers are on a tear recently and PG Chris Paul (17.5 PPG, 9.8 APG, 1.9 SPG) has been running Los Angeles’ offense to perfection in recent games. Paul had 23 points (7-of-11 FG), 12 assists, eight rebounds and two steals in 36 minutes against the Suns on Sunday. He had been struggling with his shot before that performance, but he is dishing out 11.6 APG over the past five contests.
C DeAndre Jordan (10.3 PPG, 13.4 RPG, 2.4 BPG) had 18 points (5-of-5 FG), 14 rebounds and four blocks in 32 minutes against the Suns. The big man is now 12-of-12 from the field over the past two games and is shooting an incredible 85.7% from the field over the past five contests. Jordan does not need many touches on offense to be productive and should be able to keep up his play against the Nuggets.
PF Blake Griffin (23.0 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 5.0 APG) has not been rebounding the ball well lately, but he has found his scoring touch that was on full display all of last season. Over the past five games, Griffin is averaging 26.6 PPG, 7.4 RPG and 4.8 APG in 34.8 MPG. He is knocking down his mid-range jumpers consistently and he is also distributing the ball extremely well for a big man.
SG J.J. Redick (15.1 PPG) could be a nightmare for the Nuggets to defend in this one. With the up-tempo style the Nuggets play, Redick should get a ton of open looks in this game and he has been lethal from deep in the past five games (61% threes, 17-of-28).
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
