Denver Nuggets vs Los Angeles Clippers picks, predictions: Who wins NBA playoffs first round series?

Arguably no team was hotter down the final stretch of the NBA regular season than the Los Angeles Clippers.

Going 18-3 since early March, Kawhi Leonard has quietly returned to being one of the more consistent scoring threats, James Harden is playing like he's 10 years younger and role players have found their roles.

On the other end, the Denver Nuggets are lurking as a threat, albeit one undergoing something of a transition. The franchise stunningly fired former coach Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth with three games left in the regular season, installing longtime assistant David Adelman as the interim. The Nuggets won all three of the games Adelman coached, including ones against the No. 2 seed Rockets and Grizzlies, who are still alive in the Play-In Tournament.

For The Win: Clippers will beat Nuggets in six games

Prince J. Grimes writes: "Additionally, a series against Ty Lue is a tough way for Nuggets interim coach David Adelman to make his playoff debut with just three games of experience under his belt. If the Clippers stay healthy, which is always a question with Leonard, I expect them to advance and send Denver into an offseason full of tough decisions."

NBA.com: Clippers will defeat Nuggets in six games

John Schuhmann writes: "As a rule, postseason success correlates more to how a team plays early in the regular season than it does to how a team plays late. But the Clippers have obviously been a much different team with since Leonard got healthy and found his rhythm. Jokić is still the best player in this series, but LA is the team that has proven that it can play at an elite level on both ends of the floor."

FanDuel: Bet Nuggets to advance past Clippers

Annie Nader writes: "Denver's been called out for their 21st-ranked defense, but they fare 13th on defense in the clutch and had a middle-of-the-road 15th-ranked D when they won it all back in 2023. Further, not enough has been said about the need for Aaron Gordon. He missed 31 games this season but has been pretty awesome for the Nuggets down the stretch. Gordon leads the team in defensive rating and ranks second in net rating (+9.5) behind only Jokic. In fact, Gordon's net rating would be the best in the NBA among non-Thunder, Celtics, and Cavs players, and Jokic had he qualified for eligible games played this season. To add, the Clippers went a meh 20-21 on the road this year and have posted a tame +2.9 net rating and 8-8 record on the road since the All-Star break. Give me Denver to advance to the second round."

Bleacher Report: Nuggets will win series vs Clippers in seven games

Andy Bailey writes: "As for L.A., it's switchability on defense, Harden's playmaking and Kawhi's aforementioned surge are all strengths. Nobody does a good job on Jokić, but Ivica Zubac at least makes him work. This one feels close enough to default to "best player in the series usually wins," though. And with the Nuggets securing homecourt advantage in the last game of the season, expect it to win a Game 7 in Denver."

NBA Playoffs: Denver Nuggets vs Los Angeles Clippers latest Odds

The Nuggets are -115 to win the series in NBA playoffs odds provided by BetMGM Sportsbook. The Clippers are -105.

The Nuggets winning in seven games is at +375 in odds for the outcome of the series. Denver is at +450 to win in five games, +475 to win in six games and +1200 to sweep the series in four games.

The Clippers are +450 to beat the Nuggets in six games, +600 to win in seven games, +900 to win in five games and +1800 to sweep Denver.

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