This fun series of the Denver Nuggets vs. the Los Angeles Clippers heads to California for Game 6 tonight. In a seesaw battle so far, the Nuggets took command of this series with a marvellous display in front of their home crowd, winning 131-115.
Particularly, Jamal Murray reminded us all that he’s an elite force to be reckoned with in the playoffs. This is why we had him firmly in the top 20 playoff performers of the decade. On this occasion, he dropped 43 points in an electric offensive display. If Murray can continue to perform like this, the Nuggets should take care of this series.
That said, the Clippers have plenty of seasoned playoff performers of their own to pull this series out. It’s all to play for, but it’s clearly to Denver’s advantage.
Nuggets vs. Clippers Game 6 Preview and Predictions
Where To Watch
- Where/When: Intuit Dome, Inglewood, CA; Thurs, May 1, 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT
- TV: TNT
Injury Report
No fresh injuries for either side.
Notes
- The Clippers have made the Intuit Dome their fortress this season, with a 30-11 record at home. That’s the fourth-best home record in the NBA.
- In Game 3 at the Dome, Los Angeles showed its home dominance, destroying the Nuggets 117-83.
- It was a different story in Game 4, when Denver’s Aaron Gordon leaped out of the gym for an incredible buzzer-beating putback dunk game winner to steal a win on the road. It has been an excellent series for Gordon, overall.
- Russell Westbrook also channeled his past glories, putting up an impressive performance off the bench in Game 5 with 21 points on an efficient 8-of-15 shooting and 50% from 3-point range. Westbrook silenced all critics with a marvellous display.
This is the definition of an offense vs. defense matchup.
The Nuggets were a top-three offensive team in the regular season, averaging 120.8 points per game. They also ranked first in the NBA in assists and field-goal percentage. The Clippers, meanwhile, ranked 20th in points and 23rd in assists.
However, Los Angeles was a top-three defense in the regular season, ranking third in defensive rating and steals. The Nuggets were 21st and 17th, respectively, in those categories.
Key Matchup: Jamal Murray vs. James Harden
James Harden had a terrible Game 5. He operated the offense so ponderously that he looked like he was wading through mud. In fact, he had more turnovers (4) than field goals (3) and points in the fourth quarter (2).
Credit goes to Denver’s Christian Braun for making Harden’s life miserable with an expert defensive display. Still, Harden is one of the best scoring guards of this generation, and he’s had a strong season to date, including an impressive Game 1 (32 points and 11 assists). He needs to have a big game to keep the series alive.
As mentioned, Murray had a masterful and exhilarating 43 points in Game 5. He torched the Clippers off the dribble and filled up the rest of the stat sheet with seven assists, five rebounds, a block, and three steals.
Murray now has more 40+ point playoff games for the Nuggets than Nikola Jokić.
Nuggets vs. Clippers Game 6 Prediction
The Nuggets’ tails are up, and they look poised to win this series. Jokić had a “quiet” triple-double in Game 5, allowing his co-stars to take over. That’s a terrifying prospect for the rest of the NBA. It all points to the Nuggets prevailing in this series — but not tonight.
Due to the Clippers’ excellent home record and playoff great Kawhi Leonard, who is still looking to make his mark on this series, Harden will also want to bounce back. The smart bet is that the Clippers take Game 6 at home, but lose in 7.
