Denver Nuggets v LA Clippers Betting Tips [9 September 2020]

While the Denver Nuggets will be looking to tie the series at 2-2, the LA Clippers are aiming to take a huge step towards the next round when they contest game four on Wednesday night at the AdventHealth Arena. LA took Monday's game 113-107 as they managed to stretch clear in the 4th quarter and take a 2-1 series lead but Denver are a hard team to keep down and I expect them to take the game to the Clippers once more. The Nuggets need to win three of the next four games if they are to advance but if they were to level the series you'd never know what could happen. 

Denver progressed to this stage with a 4-3 series win over Utah Jazz in the last round and they may need all seven games to take down the Clippers but they are most definitely capable of causing a stir. The Nuggets held an 88-84 advantage heading into the final quarter on Monday but were outscored 29-19 in the final period. Nonetheless, they stuck with the title favourites and limited Kawhi Leonard to 23 points although he did come up clutch in the last quarter to ultimately win his team the game. Across the last two games Denver have outscored their opponents and that is discarding game one when they were defeated by 23 points just 48 hours removed from a gruelling game seven decider with Utah so they have shown that they can hang with the big boys. LA had just enough to pull away in game three and I feel they will be taken to the wire here again with a favourable +7.5 spread for the Nuggets looking very easy on the eye.

Paul George led the scoring with 32 points for LA on Monday including five three pointers as he played his best game of the series but it has been the Clippers ability to thwart the attacking threat of Denver in the second half that is particularly impressive. In the last two games Denver have scored just 48 second-half points including in their 110-101 win in game two. LA conceded just 109 points per game on average in the regular season but that has risen slightly to 111 in the play-offs and the Clippers have looke far from their best and seem to be relying on their star power to carry them through. So far it has but it could be only a matter of time before they are found wanting. 

To say Denver have been eight points the lesser team in this series would be harsh as they have really given LA soemthing to think about and the favourites have looked nervy just pulling through in the end. Indeed, they may continue to edge over the line but I don't think they are eight points better off than their opponents and that's why I'm tipping Denver +7.5 for this game which means they must lose by eight points or more for your bet to lose.