This should be a fun one.
The Denver Nuggets — a.k.a the best team in the Western Conference — are back in action tonight for a primetime showdown on the road against the Los Angeles Clippers. Many argue the Clippers are the Nuggets greatest competition in the West, but if these two teams last game was any indication — Denver won 122-91 — the Nuggets should be able to handle business as usual tonight in LA.
The Essentials
Who: Denver Nuggets (28-13, 10-10 away) @ Los Angeles Clippers (22-21, 12-9 home)
When: 8:00 p.m. MST
Where: Crypto.com Arena
How to watch/listen: ESPN. 92.5 FM KKSE Altitude Sports Radio
Rival Blog: Clips Nation
Expected Starting Lineups:
LAC: PG Terance Mann, SG Kawhi Leonard, SF Marcus Morris Sr., PF Nicolas Batum, C Ivica Zubac
DEN: PG Jamal Murray, SG Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, SF Michael Porter Jr., PF Aaron Gordon, C Nikola Jokic
Injuries:
Denver — Nikola Jokic (right wrist injury management) QUESTIONABLE, Jamal Murray (ankle) PROBABLE , Bruce Brown (calf) PROBABLE, Collin Gillespie (leg), Jeff Green (hand/finger), Peyton Watson (groin) OUT,
Clippers — Paul George (hamstring) OUT, Luke Kennard (calf) OUT
Three things to watch
Will Nikola Jokic play?
It certainly raised some eyebrows when Nikola Jokic popped up on the injury report yesterday listed as questionable for tonight’s game due to right wrist injury management. With that being said, I think it would be a surprise if Jokic sat out and didn’t play in tonight’s primetime showdown on ESPN. It’s something to monitor though up to tip-off and hopefully the Nuggets will have their back-to-back MVP on the floor.
Update: According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Nikola Jokic is “unlikely” to play tonight due to his wrist injury.
Can the Nuggets stay hot?
Denver has won 14 of their last 17 games and have stayed at the top of the Western Conference standings the past month. Even with the Memphis Grizzlies lingering, the Nuggets have maintained the top spot thanks to some expectational play, especially at home.
Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
The thing all three of those losses have in common is they were losses on the road as Denver’s record of just 10-10 on the road is nothing like their 18-3 home record. If the Nuggets want to be successful come playoff time they are going to have to play well on the road, so tonight’s game is a good test to prepare for that.
Will the Nuggets put together another team win like they did last time they faced the Clippers?
When these teams squared off just over a week ago, the Nuggets had seven players that finished in double figures. Jamal Murray led the way with 18 points, but everyone got in on the action, which could be another recipe for success tonight on the road in LA.