Clippers Open As Large Favorites In Game 2 vs Nuggets

If the Denver Nuggets don't fix what went wrong in Game 1, they might not make it to Games 5, 6 or 7. The Nuggets were soundly outplayed in their series opener with the Los Angeles Clippers, who are nearly double-digit favorites for Game 2 on Saturday night in the Orlando bubble. Kawhi Leonard had 29 points in a 120-97 laugher that was ostensibly over by halftime.

Sportsbook Odds Analysis

The Clippers moved from -8.5 to -9 rather quickly, while the total of 223 has dipped to 221.5 or 222 at most sportsbooks.

Denver News & Notes

After being forced to rally from 3-1 down in a stunning first-round series in over Utah, the Nuggets underwhelmed in every facet of their offense against the Clippers. They shot 9-of-36 from 3-point range and 18-of-27 from the free-throw line while turning the ball over 15 times. And they were also dominated in tight, losing the points-in-the-paint battle by a 66-40 margin.

And bettors shouldn't look for much good news at the defensive end, either. Big man Nikola Jokic was routinely victimized in his 30 minutes of action – and he wasn't the only one, as the Clippers shot a blistering 57.1 percent from the field. Expect a bounce-back game from Jokic, who was held to 15 points, three assists and three rebounds – all well short of his season averages.

LA Clippers News & Notes

Kawhi Leonard put together a masterful performance in the opener – and still managed to leave OVER bettors high and dry. Leonard poured in 29 points on 12-of-16 shooting while playing just 29 minutes; the trouble was, his point prop was 30.5. Paul George was even more of a frustration, scoring 19 points in a game that saw his point prop at – you guessed it – 19.5.

Perhaps even more impressively, Leonard and George spearheaded a sensational defensive stretch that saw the Clippers limit the Nuggets to just 36 points between the second and third quarters. They held outstanding Nuggets guard Jamal Murray – who averaged 31.6 points in the seven-game series with the Jazz – to just 12 points on 5-of-15 shooting (and 2-of-8 from deep).

Betting Pick: LA Clippers -9 (-110)

The Clippers have hit another gear altogether, winning their last three games by an average of 26.7 points. This one might not be as big a laugher as Game 1, but the Clippers are still well-positioned for a double-digit victory.