Nuggets vs Clippers Game 7 Picks and Odds

Will Nikola Jokic carry the Nuggets to a Game 7 win? Photo by @BleacherReport (Twitter)

• The Denver Nuggets have levelled the series at 3-3 and forced a Game 7 despite falling 3-1 behind
• Under immense pressure, the Los Angeles Clippers must win on Tuesday if they are to reach a first Conference Finals in franchise history
• Get the latest odds, betting discussion and a pick below

There will be a Game 7 between the Nuggets and Clippers on Tuesday night.

Denver looked down and out when they went 3-1 behind to the Utah Jazz, and the same could have been said when they were on the wrong end of t he same hole to LAC. Consecutive wins and consecutive late-game comebacks have put the Nuggets in another win-or-go-home situation.

The Clippers let the game slip away in Game 5 as the Nuggets outscored them in the fourth quarter, and the same happened in the second half of Sunday’s Game 6. Denver, led by the incomparable Nikola Jokic, were brilliant.

The latest Denver Nuggets vs Los Angeles Clippers odds ahead of Game 7 can be found in the table below.

Denver Nuggets vs Los Angeles Clippers Game 7 Odds

Odds taken September 13th

Second Half Supremacy

The Nuggets needed a miracle at the half on Sunday. They got it. Mike Malone saw his team outscore the Clippers 64-35, Jokic hit an array of outrageous shots – contested threes, baseline fadeaways – and Jamal Murray found form like he did against Utah.

Murray has had a difficult series, but he got crucial buckets on Sunday, finishing nine-for-13 from the field on his way to 21 points.

Denver’s two stars got help much-needed help from their teammates, too, with Michael Porter Jr., Gary Harris and Torrey Craig knocking down useful shots in the second half. Malone shrewdly moved away from Paul Millsap and Jerami Grant, who struggled to hit shots (a combined nothing-for-five in Game 6).

“He’s a dog who is never gonna quit … there’s no end for him the sky is the limit.”

-Jokic on Jamal Murray's injury during Game 6 pic.twitter.com/4LFoESWnVX

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 13, 2020

It was a majestic second half display from the Nuggets. Jokic wasn’t always getting the best shot, but he was hitting them,  and when the Clippers forced the ball out of his hands, Denver got enough offense from the supporting cast.

The Nuggets worked tirelessly on the defensive end too, and hustled non-stop for rebounds. There was a notable string of offensive boards in the fourth quarter that wrestled the initiative in their favor. Will they be able to repeat that effort for 48 minutes on Tuesday?

Clippers Must Finally Flip the Switch

The Clips looked a team without identity, and a team lacking chemistry, on Sunday. Doc Rivers could not settle on a line-up, and despite the struggles of Montrezl Harrell and Lou Williams in the series (as chronicled in our Game 6 preview), Rivers gave them both considerable minutes.

Williams found some offense, but was attacked often on the defensive end, and Harrell’s post-season woes continued as he finished -19 in 15 minutes.

Nuggets take the lead, and the Clippers are now a -20 in Montrezl Harrell's 12 minutes. Now a -61 in the playoffs.

— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) September 13, 2020

Kawhi Leonard and Paul George both shot under 45% from the field. The offense looked disjointed. Denver defended well, and the Clippers missed some decent shots, but they were playing without rhythm, like a team with no clear plan.

The theory of this Clippers team has rarely matched the reality. Game 7 is the ultimate test of their ability to flip the switch, and whether they can avoid flat spells which cost them Games 5 and 6.

Low Scoring Finale

Denver’s Game 7 against the Jazz was the ugliest game of the playoffs to date, finishing 80-78 with both teams shooting under 40% from the field. Toronto and Boston’s Game 7 in the East’s second round was also low-scoring (92-87) – it’s reasonable to expect this Game 7 to follow the pattern.

Nikola Jokic in elimination games:

27.0 ppg 11.4 rpg 5.9 apg
49.3% fgs 46.5% 3pts
6 wins 1 loss pic.twitter.com/Ed2H7MBYm3

— Fastbreak Breakfast (@fastbreakbreak) September 13, 2020

Having made a habit of surprising bettors and with experience of Game 7 success, the Nuggets are a tempting bet to cover even at the lower +6.5. Their +235 moneyline odds will be tempting given how poor the Clippers were in the second half of Game 6.

The under seems the safest bet, though it’s easy to convince yourself there’s value in backing Denver.

Pick: Under 208 (-110)

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