The Los Angeles Clippers are entering the playoffs on an eight-game winning streak, securing fifth place in the Western Conference and setting up a matchup with the defending champions, the Denver Nuggets. With a healthy Kawhi Leonard and 7-foot Ivica Zubac to combat Nikola Jokic, the Clippers have a formidable lineup with three players averaging 20-plus points.
The Nuggets, who have recovered under interim coach Dave Adelman after a rough patch, have snagged the fourth seed and are looking to defend their title. The last time these two teams met in the postseason was during the 2020 bubble playoffs when the Nuggets staged a dramatic comeback from a 3-1 series deficit to eliminate the Clippers.
Western Conference scouts break down the upcoming series, highlighting the challenge of facing Jokic for the Clippers. They emphasize the need to shut down Jokic’s facilitating abilities while maintaining a solid defensive strategy against the Nuggets. The Clippers’ depth and firepower on offense are seen as key advantages over the Nuggets, who are reliant on Murray and Porter for consistent scoring.
Despite not having home-court advantage, the Clippers are seen as favorites to win the series due to their strong defense, size advantage, and offensive weapons. The Nuggets will need Murray to be healthy and Porter to be hitting shots to stand a chance against the Clippers’ depth. Overall, the series is expected to be a closely contested battle, but the Clippers are predicted to come out on top in the end.
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