Nuggets-Clippers Game 7 preview: Denver aims to rewrite last year’s collapse

The Denver Nuggets once again find themselves hosting a Game 7 at Ball Arena, as they fell to the LA Clippers in Game 6 of the Western Conference First Round. The Nuggets had a chance to close the series out on the road, but a weak third quarter put them in a hole that was too deep to climb out of by the end of the game, sending the series back to Denver tied at three games apiece.

Michael Porter Jr. played one of his worst games of the series for Denver as David Adelman pulled him after just 24 minutes of action. Russell Westbrook played 35 minutes off the bench, but the difference in the game was the three minutes that DeAndre Jordan played in, in which the Nuggets were a -6.

Nikola Jokic played 47 minutes in last year’s Game 7 collapse against the Minnesota Timberwolves as the starters tired out towards the end of the game and let Minnesota steal victory from the jaws of defeat. The bench, even if it’s just ten minutes from Peyton Watson and five from Jordan, will have to stay afloat if the Nuggets want to win. Russell Westbrook will likely play big minutes, especially if Porter plays as poorly as he did in Game 6, and whether he’s out-of-control or not could also play a factor in Saturday’s outcome

For an in-depth analysis of the series, click here.

How to watch Game 7 of Nuggets-Clippers

Game 7 will be broadcast on TNT, TruTV and Altitude TV, with the opening tip scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Denver time. It will also be streamed on Altitude+ and MAX.

Odds for Game 7 of Nuggets-Clippers

Spread/Total: Nuggets -1.5, 207

Moneyline: Nuggets -126, Clippers +108

Nikola Jokic to record a triple-double: +120

For the second straight game of the series, the over hit after the first four games flew under the total. However, the books know how tense these winner-take-all games tend to be, especially since the Nuggets have failed to score more than 105 points in any Game 7 in the Jokic era. The odds for Jokic to record a triple double are also as long as they’ve been all series, as his assist numbers tend to drop in these games (7.2 APG) and he has recorded a triple double in just two of the five Game 7s he’s played in.

Projected starting lineups for Game 7 of Nuggets-Clippers

Nuggets
G: Jamal Murray
G: Christian Braun
F: Michael Porter Jr.
F: Aaron Gordon
C: Nikola Jokic

Clippers
G: James Harden
G: Kris Dunn
G: Norman Powell
F: Kawhi Leonard
C: Ivica Zubac

Injury notes/report for Game 7 of Nuggets-Clippers

Nuggets
Michael Porter Jr. and Russell Westbrook are off the injury report for Denver, even though both are still battling through the injuries that have held them back throughout the series.

As always, DaRon Holmes II rounds out Denver’s injury report, as he is still rehabbing the Achilles tendon he tore back in the NBA Summer League.

Clippers
The Clippers injury report is clean heading into Game 7.

Referees for Game 7 of Nuggets-Clippers

Crew Chief: Mark Davis (#8)
Referee: Courtney Kirkland (#61)
Umpire: Ben Taylor (#46)
Alternate: Justin Van Duyne (#64)
Replay Center: Mark Lindsay

What to watch for in Game 7 of Nuggets-Clippers

The veteran experience. Game 7s are the highest-stakes games in all of professional sports, and teams tend to come out a little tight and score less than they do in any other playoff game. Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray have played in five Game 7s for Denver, while Kawhi Leonard and James Harden have played in six. Harden’s scoring average is way less in Game 7 than in other playoff games, but Kawhi Leonard hit arguably the greatest series-winning shot of all time in Game 7 against Philadelphia back in 2019.

Jamal Murray said after Game 6 that a team can still lose these big games even if one player has a great game. The bench production, which has been the story of Denver’s success in a few of these games, will have to do just enough to hold the line while the starting five try to catch a few minutes of rest.

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