- What: NBA Western Conference Playoffs First Round Game 3
- When: April 24, 2025
- Who: Denver Nuggets vs. LA Clippers
- Time: 7:00 p.m. PST
- Where: Intuit Dome (Inglewood, CA)
The fourth-seeded Denver Nuggets will face the fifth-seeded LA Clippers in Game 3 of their best-of-seven, first-round Western Conference series on Thursday at Intuit Dome in Inglewood.
The series is currently tied at 1-1, with the game scheduled to tip off at 7 p.m. PST.
During the regular season, the teams split their matchups 2-2. The Clippers initially struggled, losing 112-110 in overtime as 3-point road underdogs in Saturday’s opener.
However, they bounced back to secure a 105-102 victory on Monday, where they were 1-point underdogs in Game 2.
Both games saw the under hit, with the totals closing at 225 for Game 1 and 217.5 for Game 2. Kawhi Leonard excelled in Game 2, scoring 39 points on an impressive 15-for-19 shooting.
James Harden contributed 18 points and 7 assists, while Ivica Zubac recorded a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds.
On the Nuggets’ side, Christian Braun managed just 5 points on 2-of-7 shooting, and Nikola Jokic notched 26 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. However, both missed crucial three-point attempts that could have tied the game in the final moments of Game 2.
Jamal Murray added 23 points, and Michael Porter Jr. contributed 15 points along with 15 rebounds, though he is questionable for Thursday due to a shoulder issue.
In their four regular-season encounters, each team covered the spread two times, with the Over/Under going 2-2.
Despite concerns about the Nuggets defense ranking in the bottom 10 during the regular season, they have tightened up in the playoffs, limiting the Clippers to 110 points or fewer in both games.
Some may argue that the Nuggets were unlucky in Monday’s loss, where Leonard’s shooting was exceptional at almost 79%.
The Clippers relied heavily on Leonard’s scoring in Game 2, with Harden struggling at 7-for-17 and Norman Powell going 5-for-14.
Denver’s perimeter defense disrupted their offensive rhythm, resulting in many rushed shots late in the game.
Now that they are returning home, the Clippers should be more comfortable. They should be able to cover a 5.5-point spread and take a 2-1 series lead.
The Nuggets falling into a 2-1 hole to the Clippers seems like the most likely outcome for this game.
Best Bet: Clippers -5.5 points at -110 odds
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Tony Reyes is a sports betting analyst and reporter for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X @TonyParlay.
