The Clippers and Nuggets square off in Denver for a Game 7 of what has been a highly entertaining and competitive series.

Game Information

Where: Ball Arena, Denver, Colorado

When: 7:00 PM PT

How to Watch: TNT, FanDuel Sports SoCal, AM 570

Projected Starting Lineups

Clippers: James Harden – Norm Powell – Kris Dunn – Kawhi Leonard – Ivica Zubac

Nuggets: Jamal Murray – Christian Braun – Michael Porter Jr. – Aaron Gordon – Nikola Jokic

Injuries

Nuggets: Da’Ron Holmes Out (Achilles), Michael Porter Jr. Probable (Shoulder), Russell Westbrook Probable (Foot)

Clippers: None

Notes

Final Rotation Tweaks: Ty Lue’s rotations continued to evolve in Game 6. Kris Dunn only played 10 minutes in the Clippers’ win, with Nic Batum starting after halftime and Dunn not checking in during the second half. Ben Simmons didn’t play at all, meaning Ty went with a 7-man rotation in the second half. I don’t think he’ll do that for an entire game, so I’d expect Dunn to play at least a bit in Game 7, but I have no idea whether he’ll start or not. Ty could also keep Dunn on the bench but turn back to Simmons for small-ball center minutes. Regardless, Nic Batum is going to play a huge role, and Bogdan Bogdanovic and Derrick Jones Jr. will get some minutes. I don’t think there will be any final curveballs, not in Game 7, but who knows with Ty Lue.

Norm on the Road: There’s no Clippers player that has had bigger swings between road and home games in this series than Norm Powell. At home, he’s averaging 22 points per game while shooting 57.5% from the field and 37.5% from three while getting to the line 4.3 times per game. Pretty great! On the road, Norm is averaging 12.3 points while shooting 39.5% from the field and 37.5% from three (on fewer attempts) while getting to the line 1.3 times per game. That’s pretty bad! Norm’s shooting and downhill driving have been huge for the Clippers all year, and when he’s off the Clippers just lack the firepower to beat a team like Denver regularly. If Norm can play to the level he’s shown at home, the Clippers should be in the game.

Can DJJ Do it Again: One of the biggest differences in Game 6 outside of general shooting and energy was the play of Derrick Jones Jr. DJJ, who was such a critical part of the Clippers for most of the season as a starter, had barely been a presence in the series. The first half looked to be more of the same, as Jones missed several wide-open threes and seemed to droop. But Ty Lue stuck with him, even over Kris Dunn, and a nice layup after getting the ball in the short roll got DJJ going. He then made two threes in the second half while playing his usual strong defense, and was a major factor in the Clippers’ excellent third quarter and start of the 4^th. A similar-level performance by DJJ would go a long way for the Clippers.

Rest vs Play Conundrum: This is always so challenging for coaches – whether to keep your best players in all the time so you have them on the court, or steal quick breaks for them in an attempt to keep them fresh. This is Game 7, so there’s no “saving minutes” for later in the series, but even in one game an extra minute or two of rest can make a difference. David Adelman has been playing his key Nuggets’ stars huge minutes the entire series while Ty Lue has held back a bit more, so it will be interesting to see whether Adelman presses even further in this game and if Ty Lue matches him or tries to buy more rest. We know James Harden is going to play 45+ minutes if the game is close, the question is whether Ivica Zubac, Kawhi Leonard, and even Norm Powell or Nic Batum get similarly high minutes loads. Harden was gassed at the end of Game 6, which led to the Clippers’ offense falling apart, while Zu being held out for an extended period in the 4th, although terrifying, resulted in him playing extremely good and high-energy defense on Jokic too close. It’s a tough tightrope to walk.

Clippers vs Nuggets 2025 Game 7 Preview: For All the Marbles
Robert Flom

The Clippers return to Los Angeles trailing the Nuggets 3-2 and are just one loss away from their 2025 season being over.

Game Information

Where: Intuit Dome, Inglewood, CA

When: 7:00 PM PT

How to Watch: TNT, FanDuel Sports SoCal, AM 570

Projected Starting Lineups

Nuggets: Jamal Murray – Christian Braun – Michael Porter Jr. – Aaron Gordon – Nikola Jokic

Clippers: James Harden – Norm Powell – Kris Dunn – Kawhi Leonard – Ivica Zubac

Injuries

Nuggets: Da’Ron Holmes Out (Achilles), Michael Porter Jr. Probable (Shoulder), Russell Westbrook Probable (Foot)

Clippers: None

Notes

More Starting Lineup Questions: Going into Game 5, it seemed as though Ty Lue might pivot away from Kris Dunn in the starting lineup in favor of Nic Batum. And, while Dunn started, he missed a corner three and was then taken out of the game much earlier than usual in favor of Nico. However, Dunn checked back in the 2^nd quarter and was fantastic the rest of the game, making his threes as well as several scores around the basket. Going into this game, there is still talk around a change in the starting lineup, but with the replaced player being Norm Powell, who was awful again in Game 5 after good outings in Games 3 and 4. Powell’s lack of defense and rebounding has really dragged down the Clippers, and the Clips leaning more into the defensive mindset that got them 50 wins this season seems like a better bet than trying to juice their offense at the expense of the defense. Ty Lue is definitely not going to bench Norm entirely, but if he has another bad start and is getting roasted on defense and the glass, I hope Ty moves away from him quickly.

Better Energy: The Clippers’ season is on the line. If they lose, that’s it, and this team that everyone in the organization has said is very tight-knit and a great group that really gets along will be done. I hope that with that knowledge, and just based on sheer professional pride, the Clippers come out with a hunger and fight we really haven’t seen from them this series. Even in the games they’ve won, the Clippers have not played as hard as the Nuggets have, and that simply must change in this win-or-go-home game. I really hope the Clippers don’t lay an effort egg in what might be the last home game in Intuit Dome’s debut season.

More Aggression: The Clippers’ problems in this series have been less with strategy and rotations and more with effort and execution. As Lucas pointed out in the latest episode of TLTJTP, there have been too many instances where the Clippers have run a play halfheartedly, or gotten the switch they wanted and then not forced the issue, or been too content to let double teams arrive rather than attacking aggressively. Simply put, the Clippers have not been crisp. This is on everyone, but falls most heavily on their two best offensive players, Kawhi Leonard and James Harden, who need to be more aggressive and forceful in attacking mismatches and getting shots up. Making the right play is nice, but taking control of games as a star player is better. Even if the Clippers lose, I want to see those guys make more of an impact than they have the past two games and really go out guns blazing.

Rotation Curveballs: Ty Lue went away from Ben Simmons in the second half of Game 5, playing Nic Batum and Kawhi Leonard as the small-ball centers. That was a relatively expected adjustment considering how ineffective Ben had been in the past couple games. However, it remains to be seen if the Clippers have more oddball decisions up their sleeve. Does Amir Coffey make a desperation appearance? Do the Clippers throw out someone even deeper? I’d be surprised if so, as it’s been so long since those guys have played real minutes and putting them into this kind of competitive environment would be a very difficult challenge. But maybe Ty Lue does something truly surprising with the season on the line.

Clippers vs Nuggets 2025 Game 6 Preview: On the Brink
Robert Flom

The Clippers go into a pivotal Game 5 in Denver locked with the Nuggets at 2-2. Whoever wins this game controls the rest of the series – you might just say it’s an important evening for the teams involved.

Game Information

Where: Ball Arena, Denver, CO

When: 7:00 PM PT

How to Watch: TNT, FanDuel Sports SoCal, AM 570

Projected Starting Lineups

Clippers: James Harden – Norm Powell – Kris Dunn – Kawhi Leonard – Ivica Zubac

Nuggets: Jamal Murray – Christian Braun – Michael Porter Jr. – Aaron Gordon – Nikola Jokic

Injuries

Nuggets: Da’Ron Holmes Out (Achilles), Michael Porter Jr. Probable (Shoulder), Russell Westbrook Questionable (Foot)

Clippers: None

Notes

Does Ty Change the Starting 5: After Kris Dunn’s 1-9 shooting performance in Game 4, pressure picked up on Ty Lue (in media, fan, and probably other spaces) to move Dunn out of the starting unit, probably for Nic Batum. It does not seem likely that Ty adjusts the starting unit, though it would not shock me if he made that adjustment at halftime if the Clippers are not playing well on offense. I see both sides of the debate. Dunn has started most of the year, and his defense, energy, and connective playmaking have been big reasons for the Clippers’ success. Plus, his ability to at least bring the ball up the court relieves some burden on Harden. He’s also by far the Clippers’ best option on Jamal Murray and has been fantastic on defense in this series. Batum is, of course, the far superior shooter, and is someone the Nuggets can’t cheat off of to help on Harden and Kawhi. He’s also a good defender in his own right and adds more size to the starting unit to help with rebounding (though Dunn is technically a better rebounder in a vacuum). Nico is the steadier player and should play more than Kris unless Kris is really on a super impactful stretch, but I do feel Dunn’s presence in the starting unit is quite valuable, and I think Ty sticks with him one more game.

Playing Key Guys More: Ty Lue’s strategy through four games seems to be to take the long view approach and not overplay his players early. The Clippers have better, more trusted depth, and while Ty has certainly gone to his stars, he’s also given his deeper options more rope. Thus, the Nuggets, have played four players more minutes than the Clipper who has played the most (Harden, with 158 minutes): Jokic (169), Murray (169), Braun (161), and Gordon (159). Even Michael Porter Jr., who was benched in Game 1, has played more minutes (137) than any Clipper outside of Harden, Kawhi, and Zu. I think trying to keep an older, injury-prone team from shooting their wad too early in a series is smart, but I also think Ty has probably swung a little too far the other way. So far, none of them is even averaging 40 minutes per game for the series. If this game is close, Harden and Zu probably need to play 42+ minutes, and Kawhi should be at 40+. You know what’s more important than having gas in the tank for the next round? Actually making the next round!

Play Jokic Straight Up: It’s extremely demoralizing for Zu, the Clippers, and fans to watch Nikola Jokic hit seemingly impossible shots against great coverage. But just like against Luka Doncic when the Clippers went up against him, Jokic in “score-first” mode against single coverage is not as dangerous as sending help too early and allowing genius playmakers to carve up the defense. The Clippers just have to live with Zu’s (superb) defense on Jokic and hope that they score enough on the other end to win while limiting the rest of the Nuggets. And the scoring is the key: the Clippers’ defense has mostly been fantastic in this series. The reason they’re 2-2 with a narrow win in Game 2 is that their offense has not been able to consistently get out of the mud. If they can just get going on that end, the defense they’ve played is more than enough to win. So even if Jokic hits four straight mid-range jumpers in a row, keep playing him mostly straight up and don’t allow him to shift into playmaker mode.

Clippers vs Nuggets 2025 Game 5 Preview
Robert Flom

I did a round of player grades after two games, so it’s time to update the grades after four games with the series tied at 2-2.

Starters

James Harden: B (Previous Grade: B+)

Harden hasn’t had any truly brilliant performances since Game 1, but was excellent in Game 3 (20 points, 6 rebounds, 9 assists) and merely below average in Game 4 (15 points and 11 assists but with 4 turnovers). Similarly to Kawhi, my biggest complaint for Game 4 was just not being aggressive enough, as Harden took just 11 shots and an insanely low 2 threes. The Nuggets are specifically game planning to take away Harden, far more than they are Kawhi, but he still needs to get up more shots – and especially threes – than that. Harden has not had a truly bad game in this series, but the Clippers do need more of a scoring punch from him to win this series.

Norm Powell: C+ (Previous Grade: D+)

No Clipper has boosted their grades more from the first two games than Norm, who had two quite good outings in Games 3 and 4 with 20 and 22 points respectively on excellent efficiency. I don’t think either was a true “A+” Norm game, but they were extremely welcome returns to form after his horrid performances in the first two games. It was Norm’s shotmaking that was critical in the 4^th quarter comeback in Game 4, with every single attempt he took going in and his ability to score off secondary action cooking the Nuggets multiple times. If he can uncork for a 30-point explosion, that would be great, but as long as he continues playing at the level of Games 3-4 the Clippers will be in a solid spot.

Kris Dunn: B (Previous Grade: A-)

After a very strong first three games of the series, Kris unfortunately has to be docked for his Game 4 showing, when he went 1-9 from the field, 1-6 from three, and was a team-worst -12 in 21 minutes. That’s not to say his decision-making was bad – he took all of his shots with confidence, and the overall decision-making on both ends was correct; he just missed the shots. I wouldn’t say I’m super discouraged by Dunn’s outing, as a lot of his shots were in-and-out, not complete bricks. That said, if the shots don’t start falling at an at least acceptable rate, I’d imagine his minutes will continue to tick down as we head into the latter half of the series. The defense with him is awesome, but with the Clippers’ offense struggling, the Clips might have to move away from him.

Kawhi Leonard: B (Previous Grade: A-)

It’s been a bit of an odd series for Kawhi, who has had one true superstar performance in Game 2 but has been largely kept in control outside of that. His Game 3 was very good – 21 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists on decent efficiency – but his Game 4 was not, even though the counting stats (22 points and 9 rebounds) were decent. Kawhi just has not been aggressive enough in going for his shot and has not really been able to “take over” games outside of that one magical night in Game 2. The Clippers simply need more from Kawhi, who has been good but not great. If there’s anyone on the Clippers who can go at least toe-to-toe with Jokic, it’s Kawhi, and the gap there is too big through four games.

Ivica Zubac: A- (Previous Grade: B+)

Big Zu has been the Clippers’ most consistent player in this series by a country mile. Zu has churned out 19 points and 11 rebounds for series averages and has basically hit that mark in every game. That does mean he hasn’t had any truly huge performances, but 19 and 11 on excellent efficiency and with great defense on Nikola Jokic is still phenomenal. Zu is doing so much for the Clippers on both ends and has held up on every challenge the Nuggets have thrown at him. He has been getting tons of flowers for this series, and deserves all of them. A true coming out party for Zu after a fantastic regular season.

Bench

Bogdan Bogdanovic: D- (Previous Grade: F)

This has been a miserable series for Bogi, who is 4-18 from the field, 1-8 from three, and has 9 assists to 6 turnovers as the nominal backup point guard. His Game 4 was the first game he really contributed almost anything positive, with 7 points on 3-7 shooting, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists while playing in the offensively charged 4^th quarter unit that almost completed an epic comeback. However, outside of his incredible offensive rebound and follow-up late in the quarter, Bogi didn’t really contribute much tangible to that stretch, which was mostly driven by Harden, Zu, and Norm. Combine the miserable shooting with mostly bad defense (he was, again, better on that end in Game 4) and you have a D-. The Clippers desperately need an actually good Bogi game in the next couple contests, and hopefully Game 4 gives him the confidence he needs to perform the rest of the series.

Nic Batum: A- (Previous Grade: A)

Nic Batum followed up two very good games to start the series with one of the best performances by a Clippers’ role player in franchise history (yeah I said it) in Game 3. His 12 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 blocks understate his performance, which was massive on both ends. Unfortunately, what had been an A+ through three games has to be knocked by a Game 4 when Nico went 1-6 from three, all on wide open attempts. The Clippers have to deal with Dunn and DJJ’s inconsistent shooting so need their premier shooters to make a high percentage of shots – and Nico failed to do so in Game 4. It’s hard to really punish players for the vagaries of shooting, but each open missed Nico three felt like a backbreaker. Still, he’s been the best Clippers role player by far to this point, and probably needs to be at worst 5^th in minutes going forward.

Derrick Jones Jr.: C- (Previous Grade: I forgot (C))

This has been a hugely forgettable series for DJJ, so much so that I forgot to even write about him in my first player grades article. His best game by far was Game 3, when he scored 10 points and hit two threes, but for the series DJJ is averaging just 6 points per game and is just 2-7 from beyond the arc. Honestly, the 7 attempts figure there is more troubling than the 2 makes – DJJ only taking 7 threes in 81 minutes is not really acceptable. For as much as Kris Dunn is being left open and that mucking up the offense, DJJ is being treated the same way except he isn’t even taking the threes. His defense has been quite good, but not great, and the Nuggets have taken away his lobs in the halfcourt. Honestly, a C feels kind of generous but there haven’t been many truly bad moments, and the defense is enough to keep him at a passing grade… but just barely.

Ben Simmons: B- (Previous Grade: A-)

Ben’s grade gets knocked significantly here, as a pretty solid Game 3 was followed by a completely ineffective Game 4. It’s hard to say that Ben isn’t performing at least somewhat above expectations – he’s been good on defense and the Clippers have survived his minutes. However, the sheer lack of anything on offense (four points and four assists total across four games) means he can’t be given a higher grade, especially with how desperate the Clippers are for offense at this point.

Clippers Player Grades: Catching Up After Four
Robert Flom

The Clippers’ 101-99 loss the Denver Nuggets in Game 4 was simply too devastating to do a blow-by-blow written recap for, so instead Lucas and I talked about it for 75 minutes in the latest episode of The Lob The Jam The Podcast.

We discussed the Clippers’ heartbreaking loss to the Nuggets in Game 4 at home, tying the series at 2-2 heading back to Denver. We went over the ins and outs of the game, debated the importance of the 4th quarter run that nearly stole the game for the Clippers, and lamented the unfortunate “make or miss” elements of the game of basketball – as well as looked forward to the back half of the series and what adjustments the Clippers might make.

Listen to the episode wherever you get your podcasts, like Spotify or Apple. I’ve also included the Spreaker page below.

TLTJTP: Recapping the Clippers’ Heartbreaking Game 4 Loss to the Nuggets
Robert Flom

The Clippers are up 2-1 against the Nuggets after a rousing Game 3 victory, and can move their lead to a very advantageous 3-1 with another win at home.

Game Information

Where: Intuit Dome, Inglewood, California

When: 3:00 PM PT

How to Watch: TNT, FanDuel Sports SoCal, AM 570

Projected Starting Lineups

Nuggets: Jamal Murray – Christian Braun – Michael Porter Jr. – Aaron Gordon – Nikola Jokic

Clippers: James Harden – Norm Powell – Kris Dunn – Kawhi Leonard – Ivica Zubac

Injuries

Nuggets: Da’Ron Holmes Out (Achilles), Michael Porter Jr. Questionable (Shoulder), Russell Westbrook Probable (Foot)

Clippers: None

Notes

The Ageless Nic Batum: Nic Batum was not the Clippers’ “best” player in Game 3, but he was my player of the game. He made four of his six threes for 12 points, added five rebounds and two assists, and led the Clippers with three blocks. His combination of shooting, size, defense, and connective play is always outstanding, but his defense was particularly impressive in Game 3, and it seemed like every shot he hit was a huge one. The Clippers were +23 in his 27 minutes, and I’d imagine he continues to see minutes totals in that realm (or higher) for the rest of the series. It’s incredible that a role player of Nic Batum’s age (36.5) can still be such a difference maker on both ends, and I just marvel at his blocks and no-dip threes. Tres bien!

Norm’s Decision-Making: Norm Powell had by far his best game of the playoffs so far in Game 3, scoring 20 points on 7-12 shooting while making three threes and three free throws. However, I knew he would make his shots sooner or later. What was really encouraging about his performance was his overall floor game. He was patient and yet decisive when getting the ball in the short roll and attacking double teams – making his way to his spots while also delivering the right passes at the right times. His three assists to zero turnovers mark bears that out, and I also thought his defense was better than it had been in the first couple games. The Clippers won’t need him to score 20 every game, but the overall play they got from Norm is necessary for them to elevate their game on the offensive end.

Ben Simmons Holding Up: Ben Simmons is not playing much, but his ability to give Ivica Zubac 8-10 minutes of rest per game has been extremely valuable. Moreover, the Clippers are actually winning his minutes! Everyone thought that the non-Zu minutes would be a huge issue in this series (and in the playoffs in general) but that has simply not been the case so far. Ben’s quickness out on the perimeter has enabled him to hedge and recover effectively on the Murray-Jokic pick and roll, and he’s even held up at least to an acceptable level when Jokic tries to go at him one-on-one. Ben has provided very little offense, as he’s shared most of his minutes with James Harden and mostly just operated as a release valve, but his additional ballhandling has been useful at the least. If Ben can continue to serve his role in stemming the Jokic tide and giving Zu a breather, the Clippers will stand a much better chance at winning the series.

Clippers vs Nuggets 2025 Game 4 Preview: Trying to Widen the Lead
Robert Flom

The Clippers go back to Los Angeles with the series tied at 1-1 heading into the all-important Game 3.

Game Information

Where: Intuit Dome, Inglewood, California

When: 7:00 PM PT

How to Watch: NBA TV, FanDuel Sports SoCal, AM 570

Projected Starting Lineups

Nuggets: Jamal Murray – Christian Braun – Michael Porter Jr. – Aaron Gordon – Nikola Jokic

Clippers: James Harden – Norm Powell – Kris Dunn – Kawhi Leonard – Ivica Zubac

Injuries

Nuggets: Da’Ron Holmes Out (Achilles), Michael Porter Jr. Probable (Shoulder)

Clippers: None

Notes

Intuit’s First Playoff Game: This will be the inaugural playoff debut of Intuit Dome, and I could not be more excited even though I won’t be present. The Clippers have been excellent at home, going 30-7 at Intuit after an 0-4 start in Inglewood, and I think the place will be jumping from the get-go. Home crowds can have even more of an impact in the playoffs, so hopefully Intuit gets crazy for Clippers’ runs and keeps encouraging them during down stretches. Can’t wait for it.

Getting Something from Bogi: The Clippers can probably win this series without a big Bogi game, but boy even anything positive from him would help. Bogdan has not hit a shot so far in this series, and has more fouls and turnovers than assists or rebounds. If he can give the Clippers even 5-7 points in Game 3 without many turnovers or bad fouls, it will be a huge improvement and will go a long way towards the Clippers winning. If he’s dreadful again in Game 3, there might have to be real conversations on Ty Lue going elsewhere, whether that be cutting the rotation to eight guys or re-inserting Amir Coffey into the thick of things. I don’t think that will happen, and fingers crossed Bogi is just a lot better in this one, but the pressure is on.

Keep The Defense Locked In: The Clippers’ defense has been great all year, so this plea almost certainly doesn’t need to be made, but the Clippers can’t relax on defense even one iota against Nikola Jokic. They have defended Jokic and his two-man game with Jamal Murray brilliantly so far, and I wouldn’t switch up the approach until the Nuggets prove they can consistently beat it. The Kris Dunn-Ivica Zubac duo has done their best, with help swarming Jokic once he gets into the paint, and I’d keep that pressure up to force everyone else on the Nuggets to make open shots and make plays for others. If we see another 48 minutes of sound, high-intensity defense in this one, regardless of the result, I’ll be a relatively happy man.

Attack Jokic: Jokic has been pretty good on defense so far, but he’s doing everything on offense and playing a ton of minutes, so the Clippers need to keep making him work and move on defense. The more the Clippers can tire him out and wear him down, the better. Jokic could be attacked by Zu directly, by Harden-Zu pick and rolls, and even by direct drives by the Clippers’ slashers like Norm Powell and Derrick Jones Jr – a medley of all of those would be ideal. The Clippers can’t let Jokic just sit in the paint and relax on defense, and I want to see them do an even better job of involving him in actions and forcing him to put forth effort on that end of the court.

Clippers vs Nuggets Game 3 Preview: Playoff Intuit At Last
Robert Flom

The Clippers are down 1-0 after a brutal Game One defeat, and need to get their act together quickly if they’re going to have any chance in this series.

Game Information

Where: Ball Arena, Denver, Colorado

When: 7:00 PM PT

How to Watch: TNT, FanDuel Sports SoCal, AM 570

Projected Starting Lineups

Clippers: James Harden – Norm Powell – Kris Dunn – Kawhi Leonard – Ivica Zubac

Nuggets: Jamal Murray – Christian Braun – Michael Porter Jr. – Aaron Gordon – Nikola Jokic

Injuries

Clippers: None

Nuggets: Da’Ron Holmes Out (Achilles)

Notes

Punish Russ: The Nuggets’ hero in Game 1 was Russell Westbrook. As we have seen time and again over the years (including on the Clippers), playing Russell Westbrook big minutes means turning the entire game into the Russell Westbrook experience, and the Nuggets got just enough great plays to overcome the mind-boggling ones in the first one. Russ will mix in excellent plays with awful ones when given enough time – and the Nuggets really have very few options but to play him real minutes. The Clippers’ strategy of giving him wide open threes is a smart one, but they need to make the Nuggets pay for playing him in other ways. Specifically, if they box out better and rebound stronger, they can punish Russ for continuously crashing the offensive glass by having numbers in transition. Additionally, they have to know that Russ will gamble for steals and go for homerun plays on defense, and need to ensure that whoever he’s guarding is constantly moving to make Russ work and try to exploit his weak off-ball play. The Clippers seemed to overreact to Russ playing in Game 1 in an overly obvious way with their defensive coverages, and I’d like to them dial that back in Game 2 while still concentrating on the things he does that can backfire.

Feed Zu: Ivica Zubac got up 15 shots in Game 1, and honestly, I don’t think that’s enough in this series. He made 10 of those 15 shots and looked very comfortable operating against Nikola Jokic as well as smaller defenders when he got the switch. Considering how off Kawhi and Norm were in Game 1, Zu probably should have received a larger share of the offense than he did. This is especially true considering Jokic was in (minor) foul trouble throughout the game and was probably not going to be able to defend Zu in the post to his fullest extent. The Clippers should not feed Zu in the post on every possession, as he’s still at his best with Harden in the pick and roll, but he’s been so good on offense this year that I do think they need to make an effort to feature him more in the offense. And, if Kawhi and Norm continue to struggle, he should absolutely be the second-leading shot getter behind Harden.

Stay out of Foul Trouble: Outside of turnovers, one of the biggest reasons the Clippers lost Game 1 was putting the Nuggets at the line too frequently. The Clippers committed 25 fouls to the Nuggets 18, and gave the Nuggets 27 free throws to 16 of their own. The Clippers’ defense was mostly sound, but the fouling was endemic across the roster and was costly, giving the Nuggets an effective nine-point advantage. Defending without fouling is easier to say than it is to do, of course, but that’s something that I’m sure the Clippers coaching staff will be drilling into the team today and tomorrow.

More Urgency: At the end of the day, the Nuggets just outworked the Clippers in Game 1. They were more careful with the ball, they rotated harder on defense, and they got to loose balls quicker. That can’t be the case in Game 2 – if the Clippers fall behind 2-0, the series won’t be over, but it will be in a very bad spot for them. At the very least, the Clippers can control their effort and energy, and expend it more thoroughly tonight. They have two full days off after this game, so I want to see them going all out.

Clippers vs Nuggets 2025 Game 2 Preview: A Big One
Robert Flom

Well, that was tough. The Clippers led for much of the afternoon only to let the game slip through their fingers down the stretch due to a series of turnovers and Nuggets’ offensive rebounds. It was a bad time. I won’t go blow-for-blow because it would just make me upset, so some notes are below.

Notes

Kawhi’s Playmaking: If you had to boil the loss down to three things, it would be the Nuggets wanting it more, the Clippers turning the ball over, and Kawhi getting outplayed by Aaron Gordon. All three of those items converge with Kawhi’s poor passing in this one. Kawhi’s biggest weakness as a player (not counting availability) has always been his playmaking – he simply doesn’t read the floor well and is a reactive passer, not a proactive one. The Nuggets exposed that weakness through regular double teams and help, never letting Kawhi get clear lanes or easy one-on-one matchups. In response, Kawhi turned the ball over 7 times to just 2 assists, and missed out on a bunch of easy passes due to defensive pressure. Kawhi is never going to be Magic Johnson, but he’s going to need to figure out Denver’s defensive coverages and cut down significantly on his turnovers.

Odd Rotation Choices: This is less about who didn’t play (all nine Clippers I thought would log minutes did) but more about how many minutes the different players received. In a game that went to overtime, Ivica Zubac played just 39 minutes – meaning he’d have logged just 34 in regulation. For Kawhi Leonard, those numbers were 41 and 36 respectively, and for Harden, 43 and 38. The Clippers are older than the Nuggets and I don’t want Ty Lue to play these guys 44+ minutes per game right away, but I think Kawhi and Zu in particular probably could have logged an extra 2 minutes in each half that might have made the difference. There were even a couple minutes where none of the Clippers’ Big 3 were on the court – that just can’t happen in the playoffs.

Disasters for Norm and Bogi: The Clippers’ two shooting guards were abysmal in this one. Norm contributed more than Bogi but also played a lot more, so may have been a bigger negative. Bogi was scoreless in his 12 minutes, going 0-5 from the field along with 4 fouls and 3 turnovers (he did have 5 boards). Norm scored 12 points on 5-12 shooting in 37 minutes, but turned the ball over 4 times and also made one of his threes in the final seconds when the game was over. Not only that, but in a game where the Clippers’ defense was mostly excellent, Norm and Bogi were the two clear wink links that were targeted by the Nuggets. The defense will probably not improve much, so Norm and Bogi simply have to be more effective on offense than they were today: more confident, more decisive, and more surehanded with the ball in their hands. It’s wild the Clippers were even in this one with how bad these two (and Kawhi) were in this one.

Harden, Zu Excel: After three negative notes, I must shout out James Harden and Ivica Zubac, who were brilliant and very solid respectively in this one. Harden carved up the Nuggets defense to the tune of 32 points on 22 shots with 11 assists to 2 turnovers, and if anything probably should have been more aggressive scoring the ball. Zu had 21 points on 15 shots and collected 13 rebounds in his 39 minutes while doing yeoman’s work on Jokic. Those two don’t need to change up much of what they did tonight, outside of both being more aggressive with scoring and trying to stay out of foul trouble. Good stuff guys.

More Nico: Nic Batum played 24 minutes in this one and I think he probably should have logged at least 30 – including closing out the game over Norm. He was as steady as always on defense, made 3 of his 6 threes, and just adds size that the Clippers don’t have a lot of on the perimeter. There will be games where the Clippers need more scoring punch from Norm or Bogi, or better point of attack defense from Dunn or DJJ, but Nico’s reliability is so valuable on both ends. It’s the playoffs – there’s no point saving him now.

Clippers vs Nuggets 2025 Game 1 Recap: A Brutal Loss
Robert Flom

The 213 Hoops Staff got together to give their final predictions for the Clippers’ first round series against the Nuggets.

Lucas Hann: Clippers in 6

I’m going confident with this one.  The Clippers and Nuggets finished tied in the regular season, and split the season series 2-2–but there’s no doubt who has been better over the last month of basketball, with the Nuggets sliding in the standings and firing their head coach and GM while the Clippers have surged, going 18-3 in their last 21 games.  Denver’s starting 5 of Murray, Braun, Porter Jr, Gordon, and Jokic is probably an even match with the Clippers’ best lineups, but Denver doesn’t have a single bench player the caliber of Bogdan Bogdanovic or Derrick Jones Jr or Nico Batum, meaning that LAC can rotate their top 8 guys while maintaining good lineups on the floor… and Denver should struggle to.  Look for tight margins, especially early in the series, with Denver playing all 5 of their starters 40+ minutes.  As knocks, foul trouble, and fatigue set in, I expect the Clippers to be able to withstand the attrition of a hard-fought series better than the Nuggets.  It should be as contested of a series as you’d expect between two teams with identical regular season records and a split head-to-head record, so I wouldn’t be surprised if things broke Denver’s way and they were able to emerge, but I truly feel like the Clippers are entering the series in a stronger position.

Niels Pineda: Clippers in 6

It’s obviously always a tough choice to bet against the best player in the world, but on that same side of the equation is a bad defense.  The Nuggets pathway to victory requires winning a shootout here, but with the combination of Harden’s methodical pace setting and LAC’s suffocating defense, I’m hard pressed to think Denver will be able to make it one.
On the Clippers side of things, they’ll likely have the 2nd and 3rd best players after Jokic, and it’s also very easy to see them having the better depth. When you stack up all of these factors on top of a significantly better defense, I’m cautiously optimistic that they’ll be able to take this one home in a VERY hard fought series.

Erik Olsgaard: Clippers in 7

On paper the Clippers match-up far better with the Nuggets than the Nuggets with the Clippers—particularly on the defensive end, where the Nuggets sport the only bottom-10 defense in the Western Conference playoffs. The Clippers can throw elite defensive guards like Kris Dunn and Derrick Jones Jr. at Jamal Murray. And Ivica Zubac is one of the better defensive options on Nikola Jokic in the NBA not named Wemby (one that will also put plenty of offensive pressure on Jokic). Meanwhile, the Nuggets will have trouble finding enough legitimate defenders to guard all three of James Harden, Kawhi Leonard, and Norman Powell at the same time, without giving up a lot on offense. The Clippers also just have a far deeper bench, when healthy, and with Nic Batum on the cusp of returning the Clippers are nearly whole. Denver also just fired their head coach, so they may find themselves missing Mike Malone’s experience in the playoff chess battle. But even with all of those things being true, I can’t bring myself to count out Jokic. He’s still probably the best and most consistent individual offensive player in the league, and one who’s become a far bigger three point threat than any year previously. He could single-handedly will the Nuggets to three wins in this series. Just not four.

Shapan Debnath: Clippers in 6

I respect Nikola Jokic a lot. He’s the best player in basketball, and that carries a lot of weight in a best of 7 series, so I anticipate this going long rather than short because of him. But I think the Clippers have a ton of looks to attack Denver on offense and are very well equipped to defend them on the other end. With Aaron Gordon defending Kawhi Leonard, there should be a nice trickledown effect to set up James Harden for success against a vulnerable Denver PnR defense. Denver has eaten up the Clippers with the Murray/Jokic two man game, but the Clippers have heavily upgraded their point of attack defense this year, & Murray is already a bit banged up. Couple that with Denver’s depth being as thin as it’s been in years, with way too much riding on old friend Russell Westbrook’s shoulders, and you have a ton of reasons to like the Clippers in this matchup. Just give them the health to prove us right or wrong.

Robert Flom: Nuggets in 7

Logically, the Clippers should win this series. They have played better than the Nuggets over the second half of the season. They have a deeper roster than the Nuggets. They have some nice matchup advantages and more looks to throw at the Nuggets than vice versa. But something vibes wise feels off to me, I think mostly just because things have been going so, so well for the Clippers – and they never seem to stay that way. The Nuggets have the best player in the series by a healthy margin, and while the Nuggets defense is bad, I think they actually match up ok with the Clippers, with Norm Powell needing to have a big series to really punish Jamal Murray. Maybe this is just an emotional hedge, but I just keep returning to the Nuggets pulling out the win here. Hopefully I’m wrong, and I think the Clippers have a very good chance of winning this series. It just doesn’t seem like a Clippers thing to have happen, and it’s tough for me to move past the failures of the past three years.

Cole Huff: Clippers in 7

Of all the realistic first-round opponents, Denver felt like maybe the most preferred for the Clippers, which seems crazy to say given that the Nuggets roster the best player in the world and retain mostly the same nucleus from a team less than two years removed from a championship. Yet, the Nuggets’ coaching shakeup, questionable bench, and inconsistent defense are enough swing factors to lead me to liking the Clippers’ chances more, on top of LAC being one of the best teams in the league over the last month. Nikola Jokic is great enough to make this a long series, but I think this is the best Clippers team we’ve seen in this era, and they will ultimately have exorcised some demons by the time this one is all said and done.

Clippers vs Nuggets Series Prediction Roundtable
Robert Flom