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

[FlatearthZorro]

Clippers have been one of the best teams in the league in the past 3-4 months. I got them in 5-6 barring Jokic miracles or Kawhi injury.

[TheNG]

So looking at the votes so far, about 20% more votes for the Clippers.
Does that make the Nuggets underdogs? Or once they win the series people will say it was "expected"?

[heyrayray]

I got Clippers in 6. Kawhi looking like his old self

[ejftw]

So looking at the votes so far, about 20% more votes for the Clippers.
Does that make the Nuggets underdogs? Or once they win the series people will say it was "expected"?

I mean, lettuce be cereal, there is no "underdog" here. This is a match up that's as close to a toss up as can be. Even moreso when you consider the amount of X-Factors on each side. From the health of Kawhi to if Murray has turned into the new Pandemic P or reverts to his old self. Then you got the Ben Simmons aura to Denver trying to run out under a new coach.

If anyone really views either side as a true underdog, at this point, not sure I could take them seriously moving ahead

[bisme37]

[kwajo]

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

Gotta agree, you have multiple MVPs and Finals MVPs in a playoff series, plus the potential of someone like Jamal Murray to put on a show like in past years. Seems like a swing and a miss on this one.

[nomansland]

So looking at the votes so far, about 20% more votes for the Clippers.
Does that make the Nuggets underdogs? Or once they win the series people will say it was "expected"?

I don't follow betting lines but from what I can see in the national media narrative I would say that the Clippers are pretty clearly the favorites.

Not that I agree with the rationale, I really don't know, but with all of the chatter about the coaching changes, the Clippers' solid play lately and the Nuggets just barely seeming to get back on track, I guess it's not unfair or unexpected.

[MarcusBrody]

So looking at the votes so far, about 20% more votes for the Clippers.
Does that make the Nuggets underdogs? Or once they win the series people will say it was "expected"?

I mean, lettuce be cereal, there is no "underdog" here. This is a match up that's as close to a toss up as can be. Even moreso when you consider the amount of X-Factors on each side. From the health of Kawhi to if Murray has turned into the new Pandemic P or reverts to his old self. Then you got the Ben Simmons aura to Denver trying to run out under a new coach.

If anyone really views either side as a true underdog, at this point, not sure I could take them seriously moving ahead

Yep. The betting lines started out with Nuggets as slight favorites, then moved to the Clippers as slight favorites. Nuggets have homecourt, the Clippers have played better recently. Nuuggets have the best single player, Clippers have more top end talent. Both teams have key players that are injury prone, so the matchup dynamic could turn quickly.

This isn't a series that I necessarily think is going 7, but I could see it going either way. I'm rooting for the Nuggets, but would bet on the Clippers 60/40. The Nuggets just haven't looked great lately and I think the Clippers match up well given Zubac's good Jokic defense and Harden's excellent use of screens.

[Exp0sed]

So looking at the votes so far, about 20% more votes for the Clippers.
Does that make the Nuggets underdogs? Or once they win the series people will say it was "expected"?

I don't follow betting lines but from what I can see in the national media narrative I would say that the Clippers are pretty clearly the favorites.

Not that I agree with the rationale, I really don't know, but with all of the chatter about the coaching changes, the Clippers' solid play lately and the Nuggets just barely seeming to get back on track, I guess it's not unfair or unexpected.

Yup

You could add the fact that Murray has only played one game missing 3-4 weeks and is notoriously slow to shake off rust and get in rythm and even worse - he's not a 100%, he has a lingering hamstring issue and if it weren't for the playoffs, he wouldn't be suiting up yet

I'd argue the odds of Murray aggravating his injury and missing games in this series are higher than the odds Kawhi will miss games in this series

Don't forget that when Murray's slow and off - he's a huge negative on the court, it's not like he rebounds,defends or playmakes at a high levels, these teams are pretty close, there is a small margin of error for either and the Clippers are in their best form, at the right time

Nuggets are a mess and they don't even have a real coach. Jokic is incredible but the Clippers have a legit big 3 and even better depth. So sure, Nuggets might win but it's hard to argue they aren't the underdogs

This Clippers team held their ground the half of the season without Kawhi at all, then lost some momentum when he came back and they had to incorporate him and let him work his way back slowly (he was on a mins restrictiom for a while) and lost a bit more when Norm went down for a month

At full strength the Clips have been one of the best teams in the league, while Denver was middling throughout and never looked right and at that level

This isn't really a 4 vs. 5 matchup, a healthy Clippers team (like the one the Nuggets are gonna face) would have been the 2 seed, in a very competitive conf and that's how Vegas and apparently RGM too, view and rate this matchup



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[nomansland]

Nuggets are a mess and they don't even have a real coach.

This is the part where I think people might be making a mistake. Adelman's been with the team for 5(?) years and was the #2 and offensive architect for the past 2 at least. There aren't going to be a lot of drastic schematic changes, just some roster tweaks here and there and a little more creativity and flexibility with lineups. Furthermore, he was going to get interviews this summer for the HC job for other teams, so I wouldn't underestimate him.

The main thing is that there's been a major vibes change and the lid has been taken off of the pressure cooker that was in the locker room, and you can see it in the way they've been playing since the change. Normally I would never advocate for a change this late in the season but I gotta hand it to Josh Kroenke with this one.

Now, if that's enough runway to get the jet back off the ground remains to be seen.

[Whopper_Sr]

Still have Nuggets in 7 as biased prediction but they must go up 2-0 to start the series or it's probably over.

[PeteyPablo]

Clippers X factors are :

Norman Powell - he can light it up from three , he gets to the rim and to the free throw line. He can put up points in a hurry. He missed time after the All Star game with a hamstring issue. He has been slowly getting back to where he was pre-injury.


Nic Batum - He shoots the three ball well. He plays defense. He plays small ball center for the Clippers some times. He is an asset to this team.


Bogdan Bogdanovich - Clippers traded Terrance Mann , KPJ and a second round pick for this guy at the trade deadline. He gives them about 16 points off the bench and had a game that he scored 30 points as a starter.


Derrick Jones Jr - He is a high flyer , can shoot the three ball and hit mid range shots as well as a pesk on defense. . He is a under rated player .

Ben Simmons - He has been able to come in and be a steady floor general off the bench when Harden goes out of the games. He rebounds , gets assists and scores close to the basket. He has some turnovers off sloppy passes here and there.

[BelgradeNugget]

Clippers X factors are :

Norman Powell - he can light it up from three , he gets to the rim and to the free throw line. He can put up points in a hurry. He missed time after the All Star game with a hamstring issue. He has been slowly getting back to where he was pre-injury.


Nic Batum - He shoots the three ball well. He plays defense. He plays small ball center for the Clippers some times. He is an asset to this team.


Bogdan Bogdanovich - Clippers traded Terrance Mann , KPJ and a second round pick for this guy at the trade deadline. He gives them about 16 points off the bench and had a game that he scored 30 points as a starter.


Derrick Jones Jr - He is a high flyer , can shoot the three ball and hit mid range shots as well as a pesk on defense. . He is a under rated player .

Ben Simmons - He has been able to come in and be a steady floor general off the bench when Harden goes out of the games. He rebounds , gets assists and scores close to the basket. He has some turnovers off sloppy passes here and there.

Nuggets biggets X factor

Russell Westbrook - Who will he play for Nuggets or Clippers?

[Lala870]

Read on Twitter

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?

Worked for Andre Iguodala and it got him a retired jersey in Golden State lol

He even did it while still playing for the Nuggets during the playoffs

[OkcSinceSGA]

Read on Twitter

This is actually huge. Batum is probably gonna be the 5th best and most important player in this series.

[OkcSinceSGA]

Read on Twitter

[Exp0sed]

Nuggets are a mess and they don't even have a real coach.

The main thing is that there's been a major vibes change and the lid has been taken off of the pressure cooker that was in the locker room, and you can see it in the way they've been playing since the change. Normally I would never advocate for a change this late in the season but I gotta hand it to Josh Kroenke with this one.

Now, if that's enough runway to get the jet back off the ground remains to be seen.

Look, Adelman looks like a boy in kindergarten, there's no way NBA players can take him seriously. he's a placeholder, not a HC. I agree they will be playing about the same and this core has alot of experience playing together so it isn't a huge deal, Jokic will be the coach this post season and that's fine

However, they're a mess irregardless of coaching..they have glaring holee in their depth, Murray hasn't been right all year, MPJ is a great shooter but is also one of the lowest i.q players in the league and will be bum hunted on the perimeter by Kawhi, Harden, Norm etc

Murray's backups are Russ and Pickett lol and Adelman is just as dumb as Malone and will play WB in the clutch, which will cost them a game or two for sure

Clippers have gotten healthy and peaked at the right time and Lue is a great playoffs coach, i just can't see the Nuggets pulling this off

trading for Bogi was super smart, his shooting and poise are going to be an x factor for the Clips in this postseason off the bench imo and is really gonna shine vs. the Nuggets and their schemes

[Exp0sed]

Read on Twitter

This is actually huge. Batum is probably gonna be the 5th best and most important player in this series.

Batum is crucial for the non Zubac mins especially (and in general)

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[Edrees]

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

Gotta agree, you have multiple MVPs and Finals MVPs in a playoff series, plus the potential of someone like Jamal Murray to put on a show like in past years. Seems like a swing and a miss on this one.

Yeah that's insane. This series is the most exciting one the entire first round.

[bisme37]

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

Gotta agree, you have multiple MVPs and Finals MVPs in a playoff series, plus the potential of someone like Jamal Murray to put on a show like in past years. Seems like a swing and a miss on this one.

Yeah that's insane. This series is the most exciting one the entire first round.

Real ones know this is a great series, but I think the two teams just aren't big ratings draws for casual fans. I'm sure the networks have ratings data they look at when deciding which games get the prime TV slots. And unfortunately that overrules the quality of basketball being played.