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Nuggets vs. Clippers Odds, Picks, Predictions: Can Los Angeles Beat West’s Top Team?

Zachary Hanshew

Last Updated: January 13, 2023 8:16 AM EST • 3 min 6 sec read.

Marcus Morris Sr. of the L.A. Clippers in the second half at Crypto.com Arena.
Marcus Morris Sr. of the L.A. Clippers in the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images/AFP.

The West’s top team travels to Los Angeles for a marquee matchup with Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers. Read on for our Nuggets-Clippers NBA picks based on the top NBA odds.

After a four-game homestand, the Denver Nuggets travel south to Los Angeles for a matchup with the Clippers at crypto.com arena. The Nuggets list Jamal Murray and Bruce Brown as probable, but Nikola Jokic is questionable for injury maintenance. The big man doesn't often take rest days, as the only three games he’s missed this season have been due to illness. His availability will greatly impact the outcome of this game, and for now we’re counting on him taking to the court.

The Clippers will be missing a superstar, as Paul George is sidelined for a fourth straight game due to a hamstring injury. The Nuggets were beating the Clippers so badly at halftime the last time George played that head coach Ty Lue pulled all of his starters. Luke Kennard is also listed out.

Here is our best Nuggets-Clippers NBA pick (odds via Caesars Sportsbook; Pick confidence is based on a 1-to-5-star scale).

Check out our NBA Defensive Player of the Year 2023 Odds, NBA MVP 2023 Odds, and NBA Finals 2023 Odds.

Nuggets vs. Clippers Game Info

Date: Friday, Jan. 13, 10 p.m. EST
TV: TNT
Location: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA

Nuggets vs. Clippers Odds

Nuggets vs. Clippers Odds Analysis

The line on this matchup has been fluctuating quite a bit since opening at Nuggets +1.5. It's swung all the way to Nuggets -1.5 before settling back at Nuggets +2 or Nuggets +2.5, depending on the book. The same is true for the moneyline, which opened with Denver as the small underdog, swung to the Nuggets as the small favorite, and now the Nuggets are the slight underdog.

The Nuggets are 28-13 straight up this season but just 21-19-1 against the spread. That includes a 5-3 ATS record as the underdog, 3-3 as the road underdog, and 8-12 on the road. The Nuggets covered in three of their last four games and have won four straight, all at home. The Nuggets are 10-2 straight up and 9-3 ATS over their last 12 contests.

Meanwhile, the Clippers are 21-22 ATS overall, 12-9 following a win, 7-6 as the home favorite, and 11-14 against Western Conference opponents. Los Angeles covered during its last game after failing to do so in five straight. The Nuggets have earned 10- and 31-point wins over the Clippers in two prior matchups this season, covering in both.

The point total opened at 225.5 before falling to as low as 223.5 and then shifting to a fairly modest 224.5. The Under has hit during three of the last four matchups between these teams, including both in 2022-23. The Clippers hit the Under more than any other team at home, going 3-18 at crypto.com Arena. Los Angeles is 2-11 as the home favorite, 7-18 against Western Conference opponents, and 1-4 across its last five games.

Nuggets vs. Clippers Pick

Marcus Morris Over 12.5 Points ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Paul George is out for a fourth straight game, and someone will need to score alongside Kawhi Leonard. The Clippers can rely on Norman Powell and Terance Mann, but Marcus Morris has been “Mr. Steady” over the last month.

Morris has scored in double figures in 17 of his last 18 games, reaching the 13-point threshold in eight of those contests and the 12-point plateau in four more. His lone game scoring in single digits during that stretch was the Jan. 5 blowout loss to Denver, when he didn’t play in the second half.

Despite sporting the third-best home defense in the league (allowing only 108.3 points in Denver), the Nuggets give up the eighth-most points per game on the road (118.5). This shouldn’t be a scary matchup for Morris.

Nuggets vs. Clippers Best Odds

Caesars (+130)

DraftKingsFanDuelBetMGMCaesarsPointsBet
Over 12.5Over 12.5Not offeredOver 12.5Over 12.5
-125-120Not offered-131-115

This wager isn’t offered at BetMGM, so we can avoid that book right off the bat.

The odds for this prop are fairly similar across our remaining top books, but PointsBet offers it at the most favorable odds. PointsBet and FanDuel offer alternate point totals, typically with plus-money odds available. You can bet this one up two more points to 14.5 through PointsBet at +130 odds and +145 via FanDuel. I’m comfortable selling the two points and taking advantage of favorable odds on the alternate prop.

Nuggets-Clippers pick made 1/13/2023 at 11:35 a.m. ET.

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Written By:
Zachary Hanshew
Zak is a lucky husband and blessed father of four. He’s been writing about sports since 2018 with prior stops at FantasyPros, RotoWire, and FantasyLabs. In addition to Sportsbook Review, you can find his work at NBC Sports Edge, Yahoo, and OwnersBox. When he’s not writing, Zak can be found playing the guitar, hanging out with his family, coaching his son’s basketball team, or laughing way too hard at old Simpsons episodes.