The Los Angeles Clippers have successfully tied the series at 1-1 after a win in Game 2. A chance for Kawhi Leonard and company to grab the series lead comes this Friday, as Intuit Dome plays host to its first-ever NBA Playoffs game. Will the Clippers make it two in a row over Denver? Or, will the Nuggets hit back and slow down LA?
Catch this game live on Friday, April 25, 2025 at 10:00 AM, Manila time
Away: Denver Nuggets (1-1)
Projected Starting Five:
- Jamal Murray
- Christian Braun
- Michael Porter Jr. (Questionable )
- Aaron Gordon
- Nikola Jokic
Denver missed on a chance to bury the Clippers in a 2-0 series hole after losing Game 2, 105-102. The Nuggets shot better in Game 2 than in the series opener, posting a 55.7 effective field goal percentage, but also did not have an answer on the other side of the floor to Kawhi Leonard, who burned them all night long.
Containing Leonard is always going to be a tall order, but winning the possession battle can go a long way for the Nuggets, who were outshot and outrebounded in Game 2. Meanwhile, the Nuggets must have liked what they saw from Michael Porter Jr. in Game 2 despite a costly late-game blunder. After a forgettable performance in Game 1, Porter had 15 points and 15 rebounds in Game 2. However, Porter could be sidelined this Friday, as he is questionable with a shoulder issue.
The Nuggets are 3-1 against the spread in their last four road games. They are also 5-5 ATS in their last five road games versus the Clippers.
Home: Los Angeles Clippers (1-1)
Projected Starting Five:
- James Harden
- Kris Dunn
- Norman Powell
- Kawhi Leonard
- Ivica Zubac
Leonard has been an absolute monster on the court for the Clippers in the series. They probably would not have even sniffed a win in Game 2 without” The Klaw” methodically slicing through Denver’s defense, as he finished with 39 points on 15-for-19 shooting from the floor. So far in the series, the two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year has manufactured 61 points on a bonkers 70.6 FG%.
Even for someone like Leonard, it’s tough to expect a player to keep that kind of shooting for an extended period, so the likes of James Harden and Norman Powell will have to be ready and step up amid a potential shooting regression from the two-way superstar. Meanwhile, a constant, and perhaps overlooked, figure in the series is Ivica Zubac, who’s making Jokic work extra hard. Zubac has a double-double in each of the first two games. In Game 2, he had 16 points and 12 boards while shooting 6-for-10 from the floor.
The Clippers are 3-0 ATS and 7-3 ATS in their last three and seven home games, respectively.
Picks
Spread: Denver Nuggets (-5.5)
Over/Under: Under (213.0)
