2025 NBA PLAYOFFS West First Round: #4 Denver Nuggets vs #5 LA Clippers (DEN leads 1-0)

[OkcSinceSGA]

After listening to many series previews for this matchup, I would be surprised if the Nuggets can even score a point against the Clippers. Hopefully they can at least bring the ball across half court. But if the experts are correct even that may be too much to ask.

I know this is hyperbole but I mean it’s the #2 defense vs what #17? Do you not expect the defensive gap to come up? Just like all the talk about best player in the series is around Jokic.

Nr two against the league is obv great but playoffs are about matchups. Clips will have a difficult time guarding inside against DEN just like MIA did in the finals. DEN can just spam the Jok/Murray outside game with MPJ/Braun opposite side speading the floor and looking to shoot or cut and that gives AG 1v1 down low, where I don't see who on LAC has the size or strenght to stop him. Bring the double and Jokic will find the correct play. MPJ/Braun both just under 40% this year and Jok/AG/Murray all over 40%.

I don’t think you realize how many defensive weapons the Clippers have. Dunn would be all defense if he qualified. Kawhi is looking good. Harden is defending at a high level. DJ, Batum and Zu are great and long.

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Coach Nick of Bball Breakdown said he doesn’t see how Denver wins after watching footage of the Clippers defense, and especially Harden defending at a high level. As time goes on honestly I’m shifting from Clips in 7 to Clips in 5-6.

[Special_Puppy]

Basically comes down to whether you think the offensive gap is bigger than the defensive gap

[Wolfgang630]

I know this is hyperbole but I mean it’s the #2 defense vs what #17? Do you not expect the defensive gap to come up? Just like all the talk about best player in the series is around Jokic.

Nr two against the league is obv great but playoffs are about matchups. Clips will have a difficult time guarding inside against DEN just like MIA did in the finals. DEN can just spam the Jok/Murray outside game with MPJ/Braun opposite side speading the floor and looking to shoot or cut and that gives AG 1v1 down low, where I don't see who on LAC has the size or strenght to stop him. Bring the double and Jokic will find the correct play. MPJ/Braun both just under 40% this year and Jok/AG/Murray all over 40%.

I don’t think you realize how many defensive weapons the Clippers have. Dunn would be all defense if he qualified. Kawhi is looking good. Harden is defending at a high level. DJ, Batum and Zu are great and long.

Watch on YouTube

Coach Nick of Bball Breakdown said he doesn’t see how Denver wins after watching footage of the Clippers defense, and especially Harden defending at a high level. As time goes on honestly I’m shifting from Clips in 7 to Clips in 5-6.

Tomorrow you’ll be saying clippers are going to sweep the nuggets lol.

[OkcSinceSGA]

Basically comes down to whether you think the offensive gap is bigger than the defensive gap

I know people joke that Jokic is the coach of Denver now but coaching is also a huge gap. Adelman is a new unproven coach. Lue strategically has out coached some of the best coaches in series with adjustments and wrinkles. Combine that with JVG’s defensive schemes which literally have Harden playing great defense at 35 years old.

[OkcSinceSGA]

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I admit it would be hilarious if Ballmer hired Malone as an advisor for this series.

[LeBronSpaghetti]

I know this is hyperbole but I mean it’s the #2 defense vs what #17? Do you not expect the defensive gap to come up? Just like all the talk about best player in the series is around Jokic.

Nr two against the league is obv great but playoffs are about matchups. Clips will have a difficult time guarding inside against DEN just like MIA did in the finals. DEN can just spam the Jok/Murray outside game with MPJ/Braun opposite side speading the floor and looking to shoot or cut and that gives AG 1v1 down low, where I don't see who on LAC has the size or strenght to stop him. Bring the double and Jokic will find the correct play. MPJ/Braun both just under 40% this year and Jok/AG/Murray all over 40%.

I don’t think you realize how many defensive weapons the Clippers have. Dunn would be all defense if he qualified. Kawhi is looking good. Harden is defending at a high level. DJ, Batum and Zu are great and long.

Watch on YouTube

Coach Nick of Bball Breakdown said he doesn’t see how Denver wins after watching footage of the Clippers defense, and especially Harden defending at a high level. As time goes on honestly I’m shifting from Clips in 7 to Clips in 5-6.

Would you rather the Nuggets lose in the first round or the Thunder win their first round series? Be honest I know its a tough question for you

[sp6r=underrated]

Wow an illegal screen call

[sp6r=underrated]

I like the no call on that drive and wish the NBA allowed more no calls on those plays.

[OkcSinceSGA]

Nr two against the league is obv great but playoffs are about matchups. Clips will have a difficult time guarding inside against DEN just like MIA did in the finals. DEN can just spam the Jok/Murray outside game with MPJ/Braun opposite side speading the floor and looking to shoot or cut and that gives AG 1v1 down low, where I don't see who on LAC has the size or strenght to stop him. Bring the double and Jokic will find the correct play. MPJ/Braun both just under 40% this year and Jok/AG/Murray all over 40%.

I don’t think you realize how many defensive weapons the Clippers have. Dunn would be all defense if he qualified. Kawhi is looking good. Harden is defending at a high level. DJ, Batum and Zu are great and long.

Watch on YouTube

Coach Nick of Bball Breakdown said he doesn’t see how Denver wins after watching footage of the Clippers defense, and especially Harden defending at a high level. As time goes on honestly I’m shifting from Clips in 7 to Clips in 5-6.

Would you rather the Nuggets lose in the first round or the Thunder win their first round series? Be honest I know its a tough question for you

I can’t choose both? I don’t like the Nuggets and I want the Clips and Thunder to win.

[Special_Puppy]

Basically comes down to whether you think the offensive gap is bigger than the defensive gap

I know people joke that Jokic is the coach of Denver now but coaching is also a huge gap. Adelman is a new unproven coach. Lue strategically has out coached some of the best coaches in series with adjustments and wrinkles. Combine that with JVG’s defensive schemes which literally have Harden playing great defense at 35 years old.

Adelman has a very good reputation as an assistant coach FWIW. Of course being a very good assistant coach and being a very good head coach are two different things

[Raps in 4]

I don't know what Denver will look like under a new coach. I'll go with Nuggets in 7 since they'll have the best player in the series. LAC has a better team though.

[kazyv]

One thing that I don't get with Clippers and Kawhi are his minutes, historically. When he eventually plays in the playoffs/games that matter he ends up playing very high minutes. But we're talking about the Clippers here, a team that over the years has shown that they can somewhat adequately replace Kawhi's production to get into the playoffs. So why can't Ty Lue just build some rotations around a minute's limit? Like say 30 or even 33 minutes?

Yeah, I realize, he's trying to win it all and more Kawhi is more good stuff happening on the court. But it's not like Kawhi is superhuman. I'm sure his efficiency/production could even increase with more rest, so there could be some direct benefits from a minute restriction.

And ultimately, if you're trying to win, shouldn't you be worried about Kawhi holding up for the whole playoffs?

[Shock Defeat]

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I admit it would be hilarious if Ballmer hired Malone as an advisor for this series.

Who gives a F. Shows that the clippers don't care about winning if they don't at least give Malone a call

[JM00n69]

Basically comes down to whether you think the offensive gap is bigger than the defensive gap

I know people joke that Jokic is the coach of Denver now but coaching is also a huge gap. Adelman is a new unproven coach. Lue strategically has out coached some of the best coaches in series with adjustments and wrinkles. Combine that with JVG’s defensive schemes which literally have Harden playing great defense at 35 years old.

Adelman has a very good reputation as an assistant coach FWIW. Of course being a very good assistant coach and being a very good head coach are two different things

He's been with Denver since 2017. He knows the team and the plays inside out and the only difference these last three games compared to Malone have been minor rotation tweaks game to game and they were almost all succesful. And when he made a mistake he realised it quick and adjusted correctly.

[levon]

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I admit it would be hilarious if Ballmer hired Malone as an advisor for this series.

Who gives a F. Shows that the clippers don't care about winning if they don't at least give Malone a call

Malone isn't going to sell out his former staff and team. That's career suicide. Are you guys serious?

[BelgradeNugget]

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Q: Haw do you guys play diferently, what has been diferent with David Adelman running the show?

Braun: I think we have been focused, I think we have been locked in, defensively our communication has been realy good, a lot of this things are on players, hasn't been much of a change coaching staff wise...just playing nuggets basketball that we used to play.

...or to say it the joy is back, chemistry is back for the Nuggets

This is going to be one hell of a series

[The-Power]

The Clippers have the momentum on their side and if they stay healthy, I think they have the advantage over the Nuggets. Difficult to bet against Jokic, and it would not at all be a surprise to see them win the series, but I'll go with Clippers in 6.

The Clippers have a good defense to throw at Jokic and muck up offense for everyone else, too. On the positive side for Denver, I don't think they are as well equipped as other teams to target Jokic on defense. He should be fine on Zubac individually, Kawhi is not the superstar to exhaust you on defense, Harden – as well as he has played – is not at the peak of his powers any longer (or else he would have caused a lot more problems for Jokic), and the Clippers as a whole don't space you out as much as many other teams.

[Alatan]

The biggest problem for the Nuggets will be dealing with Powell. Braun can slow down Harden, AG could keep Kawhi from going nuclear, Jokic can match up with Zubac but one of MPJ or Murray will have to guard Powell and thats a death sentence.
WB making boneheaded plays will probably cost the Nuggets a game of two as well.

I wonder will the Clippers try defending Jokic with Harden at times with Zubac roaming away from AG. I dont tkink Harden has enough size to bother Jokic long enough for it to be effective but it would be an interesting wrinkle. Dunn will probably hamper the injury recovering Murray, and Kawhi will lock up MPJ with minimal effort. Harden will probably pretend to guard AG and will get backdoored a lot. Zubac will do his best against the Joker. Bogy could bring out the flamethrower in one game.

All in all it doesnt look good for the Nuggets.

[LeBronSpaghetti]

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I admit it would be hilarious if Ballmer hired Malone as an advisor for this series.

Who gives a F. Shows that the clippers don't care about winning if they don't at least give Malone a call

This is like reading a conversation between two twelve year olds. If Lue was stupid enough to do this Malone would say “**** off go do your job yourself”

[Wolfgang630]

Game 3 is a NBATV game…why? You have Harden, Kawhi and Jokic. This should never be on nbatv