The Denver Nuggets escaped with a Game 1 overtime victory thanks to a last-minute three and multiple mental errors from the Los Angeles Clippers. Logic doubts those things repeating, but logic also doubts Nikola Jokic will shoot just 50% from the field again.
Los Angeles’s best response to Jokic is neither Kawhi Leonard nor James Harden. It is, instead, very much Ivica Zubac.
My Clippers vs. Nuggets predictions and NBA picks expect Zubac to give Denver all it can handle at tip at 10 ET on Monday, April 21.
Who will win Clippers vs Nuggets Game 2?
The Los Angeles Clippers have not lost consecutive games since the first week of March. Once Kawhi Leonard was firmly back in the rotation, the Clippers looked like the best team in the NBA, enjoying the top net rating since March 6 at +13.5.
Meanwhile, the Denver Nuggets scuffled into the playoffs after shockingly firing Mike Malone.
Nonetheless, homecourt advantage matters more in Denver than in most NBA cities, and Nikola Jokic is always capable of winning a game singlehandedly. Thus, Denver takes a 2-0 advantage before action shifts to California.
Clippers vs Nuggets prediction
My best bet: Ivica Zubac Over 31.5 points + rebounds + assists (-115 at bet365)
Denver must know it's fortunate to have a series lead. The Nuggets needed a corner 3-pointer from Russell Westbrook with 24 seconds left in the fourth quarter to take a two-point lead. When LA tied things up on the next possession, Denver failed to get a shot up before the buzzer. It was far from crisp basketball from the home team.
Jokic dazzled, as always, scoring 29 points, dishing out 12 assists, and snagging nine rebounds. But he was only 12-for-24 from the field and 1-for-4 from deep, getting to the free-throw line for only six attempts.
The Clippers rattled Jokic because Ivica Zubac has improved so much this year. It is one of the most overlooked developments of the 2024-25 season.
Sure, Zubac was a -8 in the Saturday's box score — the worst on the roster — but that was because he was so often matched up with the best player in the world. Holding his own in those minutes is rarely going to reflect well in the +/- column, yet forcing Jokic to work so hard for his points made it clear that Zubac was the Clippers’ best player to start the postseason.
The work is not going to get any easier for the Croatian, and he will still collide with the Serbian on nearly every possession.
But LA needing so much out of Zubac against Jokic provides value across the box score. He put up 21 points, grabbed 13 rebounds, and tallied two assists in his nearly 40 minutes on Saturday. None of those numbers were boosted in overtime. So really, he piled them up in 35 minutes.
And all of that is replicable, though the world will continue to not notice. No, his game is not flashy. No, he is not the best European 7-footer in this series. No, he is not as much of a household name as James Harden or Kawhi Leonard. But Zubac may be the most reliable Clipper in this series, and his quality defense leads to plenty of offensive chances.
Clippers vs Nuggets same-Game parlay
Ivica Zubac Over 31.5 points + rebounds + assists
Nuggets moneyline
Under 218
What about a game with a three-point spread then going to overtime suggests the spread should move two buckets before the next tilt? This adjustment from Game 1 is too far, and provides betting value on Denver. Taking the Nuggets at the moneyline of +100 rather than the +1 spread at -105 is hardly notable; the added value of this line moving so far is clear in either approach.
Denver was a three-point favorite in Game 1. It should not now be an underdog.
If anything should adjust further, it is the total. Game 1 fell short of its total of 225 even when including overtime. In regulation, it was 29 points below the total, despite neither team shooting particularly terribly.
Learn how to bet a same-Game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
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Clippers vs Nuggets odds
Clippers vs Nuggets live odds
Clippers vs Nuggets opening odds
- Spread: Los Angeles +2 (-110) | Denver -2 (-110)
- Moneyline: Los Angeles +110 | Denver -130
- Over/Under: Over 218.5 (-110) | Under 218.5 (-110)
Odds courtesy of bet365
Clippers vs Nuggets spread and Over/Under analysis
- Denver has been falling short of bookmakers’ expectations for more than a month now, losing against the spread in Game 1 only fitting in line with that trend.
- The Nuggets went 7-15 ATS since March 1 through the end of the regular season, now 7-16 when including Saturday’s frustration.
- Nonetheless, moving the spread by two buckets is unexpected and an overreaction.
Clippers vs Nuggets trend
Denver has gone 27-15 straight-up at home this season. Find more NBA betting trends for Clippers vs. Nuggets.
How to watch Clippers vs Nuggets
| Location | Ball Arena, Denver, CO |
| Date | Monday, 4-21-2025 |
| Tip-off | 10:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | TNT |
Clippers vs Nuggets latest injuries
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