The LA Clippers and the Denver Nuggets will end their first-round playoff series in Game 7 on Saturday. LA lived to fight another day after holding on to upend Denver 111-105 two nights ago. The Clippers, which won 105-102 in Mile High City in Game 2, look to pull off another road victory in the winner-take-all showdown.
Meanwhile, the Nuggets have to get over their Game 6 loss when they host the Clippers in a must-win game. Nikola Jokic and Co. rallied late in the fourth quarter in Los Angeles but failed to overhaul the lead.
The Nuggets must also shake off a nightmarish performance the last time they played a Game 7, which was in 2024 against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Jokic and his teammates led by 20 points before going down 98-90 to the Anthony Edwards-led team. This version of the Nuggets is different, but their core players who suffered the painful loss last year remain the same.
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LA Clippers vs Denver Nuggets Injury Report
LA Clippers injury report
Everyone on the Clippers is ready to suit up for Game 7 on Saturday.
Denver Nuggets injury report
Only DaRon Holmes II, who has not played all season because of a right Achilles tendon injury, will not play.
LA Clippers vs Denver Nuggets Predicted Starting lineups and depth charts
LA Clippers predicted starting lineup and depth chart
Denver Nuggets predicted starting lineup and depth chart
LA Clippers vs Denver Nuggets: Key Matchups
Nic Batum vs Jamal Murray
Jamal Murray finished with 21 points behind 9-for-19 shooting in Game 6. Clippers coach Ty Lue played Nic Batum 34 minutes, his most in the playoffs, to help slow down Murray. The strategy worked as the 6-foot-8 Frenchman helped limit the point guard’s production.
Batum also held up well when guarding Nikola Jokic and Michael Porter Jr. Lue will likely go to him again in the must-win Game 7.
The veteran forward also has a floor-spacing game that the Nuggets must watch out for. Murray, Jokic and Porter can’t sag off the Frenchman to clog the paint. Batum could be the X-factor for the Clippers on Saturday.
Nikola Jokic vs Ivica Zubac
The 1-on-1 duel between Nikola Jokic and Ivica Zubac has to be the most entertaining and crucial in the series. Jokic has been his usual brilliant self, but Zubac denied him late in Game 6 to help give the LA Clippers the win.
Per ESPN Stats, The Joker went 5 of 14 when matched up with Zubac two nights ago, including 1-for-8 in the second half. With less than a minute left, the Denver Nuggets went to Jokic twice and the Croatian kept him from scoring in back-to-back possessions.
The three-time MVP has also been forced to keep track of Ivica Zubac, who has relentlessly crashed the boards. LA will consider it a win if it can make Jokic battle hard for rebounds and limit Zubac’s inside scoring.
alt=”Michael Macasero” height=”72″ width=”72″>
Edited by Michael Macasero
