Denver Nuggets vs. Los Angeles Clippers Game 6: Picks, Predictions, Odds and Player Props

Game 6 of the Western Conference playoffs first-round series between the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Clippers will take place on Thursday night at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, and it is a win-or-go-home situation for the Clippers, as the best-of-seven set stands at 3-2 in the Nuggets’ favor.

LA once led the series 2-1, but Denver has prevailed twice in a row to put itself on the brink of advancing to the conference semifinals. With tipoff set for 10:00 PM ET on TNT, it’s time to break down the matchup and discuss the best bets to make.  

Denver Nuggets vs. Los Angeles Clippers betting picks and predictions

Denver Nuggets +6.5 (-105)

Los Angeles looked like the better team heading into the playoffs, but that has not turned out to be the case through five games. Denver seems to have found its footing under interim coach David Adelman after Mike Malone was fired with three games remaining in the regular season.

The Nuggets won all three of those games and have since taken three of five so far from the Clippers, including a dominant 131-115 performance at home on Tuesday.

Kawhi Leonard was outstanding for LA in a Game 2 victory, but Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray have been the two best players on the court in this series. Unsurprisingly, Jokic is averaging a triple-double with 25.4 points, 12.8 rebounds and 11.0 assists per game through six contests. Murray went off for 43 points in Game 5.

Winning outright may not be easy for the Nuggets in Los Angeles, but giving 6.5 points to a confident visiting team is too much.

Over 212.0 Total Points (-110)

The Over/Under for the series opener was 224. Fast forward five games and it has come down by a whopping 12 points.

Even though there is a reason for that – namely a string of low-scoring affairs – it still means this is now a prime spot in which bettors can hammer the Over.

Despite totals of 207, 200 and 200 in three consecutive contests, there is more than enough proof that these two teams can engage in real shootouts. Their four regular-season meetings resulted in 213, 248, 218 and 229 points before Game 5 on Tuesday produced a massive 246. 

From an individual standpoint, Murray has been red hot for Denver. The Kentucky product has delivered at least 21 points in four of five contests during this series, which includes Tuesday’s 43-point eruption.

Jokic is also getting plenty of help from Aaron Gordon, who has scored at least 14 points in all five games – including performances of 25 and 23 points. 

James Harden Over 20.5 Points (-115)

Harden’s points quota has come down by three since the start of the series, so this presents a prime opportunity to back the Over on a relatively low number.

In the Clippers’ two most recent losses, Harden attempted only 20 total shots – including just four from three-point land. He attempted 31 shots from the floor in LA’s two victories and 22 during an overtime setback in Game 1.

It’s pretty obvious that Los Angeles is enjoying more success when Harden is getting involved. Facing elimination, it is more imperative than ever that the Clippers’ best players take matters into their own hands. That, of course, means Leonard and Harden need to step up.

In the first three games of this series, Harden went 24-for-53 from the field and 11-for-24 from deep. There is no reason why the 35-year-old can’t get back on track in Game 6.  

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Denver Nuggets vs. Los Angeles Clippers odds

Denver Nuggets	+225 ML
Los Angeles Clippers	-275 ML
Spread	LA Clippers -6.5
Total points	O/U 212.0

Denver Nuggets vs. Los Angeles Clippers player props

Player Points

Nikola Jokic (DEN Nuggets)	O/U 27.5
Jamal Murray (DEN Nuggets)	O/U 20.5
Aaron Gordon (DEN Nuggets)	O/U 14.5
Kawhi Leonard (LA Clippers)	O/U 24.5
James Harden (LA Clippers)	O/U 20.5
Ivica Zubac (LA Clippers)	O/U 18.5

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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.