Game Time: 7:30 PM ET, Tuesday, January 11th, 2022 

Venue:  Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, California

Where to Watch:  NBA TV

DraftKings:  Spread: NL

BetMGM:  Spread:  NL

VegasInsider:  Spread:  NL

WynnBet: Spread: NL

Nuggets: 20-18, 6th place Western Conference

Clippers: 20-21, 9th place Western Conference

A Western Conference NBA matchup of opponents that are looking to break the logjam in the middle of the standings.  The Western Conference from 5-9 is almost entirely deadlocked.  The difference between the Dallas Mavericks at 5 and the Los Angeles Clippers at 9 is 1.5 games.  Also there is a big dropoff between 4 and five and another big dropoff between 9 and the San Antonio Spurs at 10.  The result is a conference with a shaky middle class.  Single wins and single losses can plummet any of these teams if their classmates don’t also win or lose simultaneously…. Two games from now the 7th place Los Angeles Lakers could be anywhere from 5th to 9th place in the Western Conference.  Such uncertainty demands that these teams bring everything they have to each game… each contest now could very well determine playoffs or play-in single elimination tournament.  

The Denver Nuggets have a good roster.  It’s almost impossible to have last year’s MVP who is still playing at that level while not having a good roster. Center Nikola Jokic is that MVP and is bringing the Nuggets 26 pts, 14 rbs, and 7 assists night after night.  The Assists are particularly impressive as this 7-footer routinely tosses no-looks to shooters for easy buckets.  Jokic is normally supported by SG Jamal Murray and PF Michael Porter JR who are both gifted offensive presences on any NBA floor… However, both those guys are out with no timetable for a return.  This had led to a lack of depth on the bench and a lack of punch among the starters.  Jokic is not alone on an island… SF Aaron Gordon is a quality two-way player and mainstays SG Will Barton and PF JaMychal Green are serviceable in starting spots… but it may not be enough.  SG Austin Rivers and PF Jeff Green should not be needed to play big minutes for anybody at this point in their respective careers.  They should be a bench luxury.  Denver has won 6 of their last ten games, but are looking anemic ATS with only 4 of their last ten.  They are relying on defense to get wins which has led to 7 Unders in their last ten games.

The Los Angeles Clippers are rudderless.  Longtime Clippers fans remember many seasons when a 9th place in the standings was a success, but modern Clippers fans know this is a team that wasted the potential for greatness.  They had a team that revolved around the two big stars of PF Blake Griffin and PG Chris Paul.. and a group of valuable role players.  They had a full cupboard of draft picks… in the 4 seasons since… they traded away both of those stars and remolded the team around young players and picks… they then moved ALL those draft assets to acquire Paul George in order to appease free agent Kahwi Leonard enough to get him to sign a Max Contract with them.  They then moved off all the role players that didn’t get along with the silent Kawhi to get vets that could usher this duo into a Championship.  Then Kawhi went down with a severe enough injury to simply no longer play.  There is no timetable for Kawhi’s return as everyone knows you have to leave it all up to him and how he feels to protect his long term prospects.  The result is a 9th place team led by an overwhelmed Paul George that literally doesn’t have tradable assets left.  Had Kwhi joined the team as a free agent (which he did) and allowed the Clippers to build the unit as they saw fit… all those assets would have the Clippers at the top of the standings even without Kawhi.  To make matters worse… That great point guard they traded away… is balling for the league’s first place team in Phoenix and he is the reason why they are balling.  Right now the Clippers are rudderless.  Paul George is on the injured list which essentially relegates them to a bad team.  They have only won 4 of their last ten games.  They are frequently listed as the underdog and they should be.  They have had some good wins during the stretch… They beat the Brooklyn Nets on New Year’s day and they beat the Boston Celtics during that stretch… but among the losses was one to the Minnesota Timberwolves.  

 

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The Nuggets are 20-18 on the season, but 16-22 ATS.  They have logged 19 Overs and 19 Unders.  They are 11-11 in road games.

The Clippers are 20-21 on the season, but 18-23 ATS.  They have notched 18 Overs and 23 Unders.  They are 13-12 in home games

The Nuggets are 23rd in scoring with 106.1 ppg, 26th in rebounds with 43 per, and 7th in AST/TO ratio with 1.9.  They are shooting 10th in FG% and 21st in 3PT%.  Defense helps this team get through the gauntlet… they are 10th while only allowing 106.2 ppg from opponents.

The Clippers are 26th in scoring with 105.1 ppg, 22nd in rebounds with 43.9 per, and 25th in AST/TO with 1.6. They are shooting 26th in FG% and their life preserver among all these numbers is they are 10th in 3PT% and 9th in FT%.  The Clippers also cling to defense, they are ranked 7th while only allowing 105.8 ppg form opponents… of course with Paul George and Isaiah Hartenstein out the defense will suffer.

Our prediction for Tuesday, January 11th is….  Nuggets 110 - Clippers 99

The Clippers just lost back-up Center Isaiah Hartenstein to an ankle sprain.  That leaves C Ivica Zubac as the only quality big man to try to stop the league MVP… Not likely.  The Nuggets should win this one easily.

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The Clippers are 28-21 ATS versus Denver since 1996.

Denver is 8-6 ATS versus the Clippers over the last 3 seasons.

3 of 4 games in this series played at LA have gone Under the last 3 seasons.

Nuggets: SG Jamal Murray (knee) Out ** PF Michael Porter Jr (back) Out ** SG Will Barton (covid) Out ** 

Clippers: SF K. Leonard (knee) out for season, SF P. George (elbow) Out, C Isaiah Hartenstein (ankle) Out ** SF Justice Winslow (covid) Out

Nuggets: PF JaMychal Green, SF Aaron Gordon, C Nikola Jokic, SG Austin Rivers, PG Monte Morris

Clippers: PF Marcus Morris SR, SF Nicolas Batum, C Ivica Zubac, PG Reggie Jackson, SG Amir Coffey

Nuggets

Points: Nikola Jokic 25.8

Assists: Nikola Jokic 7.0

Rebounds: Nikola Jokic 14.2

Steals: Nikola Jokic 1.4

Blocks: Nikola Jokic 0.8

Clippers

Points: Paul George 24.7

Assists: Paul George 5.5

Rebounds: Ivica Zubac 8.3

Steals: Paul George 2.0

Blocks: Isaiah Hartenstein 1.3