Denver Nuggets vs La Clippers Picks and Predictions May 3rd 2025

The Clippers (50-32) are 1.5-point underdogs against the Nuggets (50-32) in a Western Conference matchup. The over/under line for the game is 206.5.

This game will take place at Ball Arena in Denver. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 ET and the game will be televised on TNT.

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Clippers vs. Nuggets Key Information

• Sport: NBA
• Teams: Los Angeles Clippers at Denver Nuggets
• Where: Denver at Ball Arena
• Date: Saturday, May 3rd
• Betting Odds DEN -1.5, LAC +101 | DEN -120 O/U 206.5

The Clippers Can Win If…

The Clippers improved to 50-32 on the season with a 111-105 win over the Nuggets on Thursday, May 1st. Playing at home, Los Angeles was favored by six points, and the final score resulted in a push for those who took the spread. The total points for the game were 216, just over the 212.5 O/U line.

A key moment came when the Clippers went on a 12-0 run, stretching the score from 70-66 to 82-66. They outscored Denver 32-22 in the 3rd quarter, and although the Nuggets made a push in the 4th, winning it 26-21, the Clippers held on for the win.

In their win over the Nuggets, the Clippers shot 50% from the field, with James Harden leading the way with 28 points and 8 assists, hitting 3 threes at 37.5%. Kawhi Leonard added 27 points and 10 rebounds, while Norman Powell contributed 24 points, shooting 60% from the field.

The Clippers made 12 threes, shooting 30.8% from beyond the arc. Harden scored 17 points in the 2nd quarter, while Powell added 11 points in the 3rd.

Even with the Nuggets shooting 52% from the field, the Clippers’ defense held them to 105 points in Thursday’s win. They gave up 28 points in the 1st quarter and 29 in the 2nd, but tightened up in the 3rd, allowing just 22 points. Denver scored 26 in the 4th.

From beyond the arc, the Clippers limited the Nuggets to 11 threes on 40% shooting. They also sent Denver to the line just 9 times, with the Nuggets making 6. Defensively, the Clippers recorded 9 steals and 9 blocks.

• In their last three road games, Los Angeles has averaged 110 points per game while allowing 115. The team’s record in this stretch was 1-2 while going 2-1.
• Going back to their previous five games as the underdog, Los Angeles has an ATS mark of 4-1 while going 2-3 straight up.
• Over their last five games, the Clippers have an over/under record of 2-3 and are 2-2-1 vs. the spread.

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The Nuggets Can Win If…

The Nuggets fell to 50-32 on the season after a 111-105 road loss to the Clippers on Thursday. Denver entered the game as +6 point underdogs, and the final score resulted in a push. The total score of 216 points narrowly exceeded the over/under line of 212.5.

Denver led 28-25 after the 1st quarter, but the Clippers went on a 12-0 run, stretching their lead from 70-66 to 82-66. The Nuggets tried to rally in the 4th quarter, outscoring the Clippers 26-21, but it wasn’t enough to complete the comeback.

In the Nuggets’ 111-105 loss to the Clippers, Nikola Jokić led the way with 25 points and 8 assists, scoring 15 of his points in the 2nd quarter. Jamal Murray added 21 points, with 12 coming in the opening period. Aaron Gordon contributed 19 points, including 5 in the 4th quarter.

Denver shot 52.4% from the field and connected on 11 threes at a 40.7% rate. Christian Braun chipped in 14 points, with 10 in the 3rd quarter, while Russell Westbrook also scored 14, adding 9 points in the 2nd.

Defensively, the Nuggets had a strong 4th quarter, holding the Clippers to 21 points, but they gave up 33 points in the 2nd and 32 in the 3rd, leading to a 111-105 loss. Denver allowed the Clippers to shoot 50% from the field.

The Nuggets did well in limiting the Clippers’ three-point shooting, allowing just 12 threes on 30% shooting. Denver sent the Clippers to the line 15 times, where they made 13 free throws. The Nuggets grabbed 29 defensive rebounds, gave up 9 offensive boards, and recorded 6 steals and 7 blocks.

• Across their three previous home games, Denver has an ATS mark of 1-1-1. Their straight up record in these matchups was 1-2 while averaging 96 points per game.
• As the betting favorite, the Nuggets have an ATS mark of just 4-6 in their last ten games. Denver posted a straight up mark of 6-4 in these matchups.
• In their last five games, the Nuggets have an over/under record of 2-3 and are 2-3 vs. the spread.

The Lean

The Nuggets is our pick to not only win with a projected score of 141-135. But we also favor them to cover the spread. Our bet is on the Nuggets at -1.5.

Right now, the over/under line for the game is sitting at 206.5 and given that our model is projecting 276 points between the teams, we like the over.

Can the Clippers Pull Off a Stunner? Or Will the Nuggets Defend Their Home Court?

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Nuggets and Clippers Collide in High-Stakes Game 7 Showdown

Everything is on the line as the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Clippers battle in Game 7 of their Western Conference quarterfinal series on Saturday night. A trip to face top-seeded Oklahoma City awaits the victor — while the loser starts their offseason soul-searching.

Nuggets Lean on Experience, Battle Past Ghosts

Denver has been in this exact spot before. This marks their fourth Game 7 since the 2019 playoffs — and while they boast a 2-1 record in those contests, their most recent memory stings. Last season, they squandered a 20-point second-half lead and lost at home to Minnesota in the second round.

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“We’re going to look back at that, use it as a lesson learned,” interim coach David Adelman said. “But this is now. This is a different team that we’re competing against.”

That team features James Harden and Kawhi Leonard — and both delivered vintage performances in Thursday’s Game 6 win. Harden silenced his elimination-game critics with 28 points, while Leonard added 27 of his own in a 111-105 win that evened the series.

The Nuggets will once again turn to Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, who’ve carried the load throughout the series. With Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon expected to stretch the floor, Denver’s success hinges on staying aggressive early and not letting the Clippers hang around.

Clippers Find Momentum Behind Harden, Leonard, and a Key Adjustment

James Harden hadn’t won an elimination game since 2020. He hadn’t looked himself in Games 4 and 5. But on Thursday night, he stayed on the court for 47 minutes, dictated the tempo, and made big shot after big shot.

“Whatever the team needs, 47, 48, overtime, whatever — I’ll be willing to do it,” Harden said.

Coach Tyronn Lue made a pivotal second-half change by inserting Nicolas Batum into the lineup. The 6-foot-8 veteran played key minutes defensively and spaced the floor, giving Leonard and Harden lanes to attack. The move changed the game — and likely the lineup for Game 7.

“Batum is a much better shooter than Kris Dunn,” Nikola Jokic said. “He can guard one through five… They’re probably going to start him next game.”

The Clippers, 4-1 in first-round Game 7s, are trying to earn just their second road Game 7 win since 1978. They’ve battled inconsistency all season, but they now appear to be finding rhythm at the right time.

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High-Stakes Drama Ahead — Who Will Rise in Game 7?

This is only the second time these two franchises will meet in a Game 7 — the first came in the 2020 NBA Bubble, when Denver rallied from a 3-1 series deficit to eliminate the Clippers. Leonard and Ivica Zubac remain from that squad, as do Jokic, Murray, and Porter Jr. on the Nuggets’ side.

“It’s just another game,” Leonard said. “But we know what’s at stake. Everyone in that locker room is locked in.”