The first ever playoff game at the Intuit Dome is tonight, as the Denver Nuggets travel to Los Angeles to take on the Clippers in Game 3 of the Western Conference First Round. The Nuggets had plenty of chances to take a 2-0 series lead and hold onto home-court advantage, but Kawhi Leonard’s 39-point performance spoiled the night as he knotted the series at one game all.
The biggest key for the Nuggets in Thursday’s contest is preventing Leonard from getting to his spots. Many of his shots were contested on Monday, but that doesn’t affect a player as talented as him. Denver’s defense has to be better on early in the possession to be physical and get him out of his comfort zone.
The Nuggets will also need a better performance from Nikola Jokic, who committed seven turnovers and missed four free throws in the Game 2 loss. While he still had a triple double, he made a handful of sloppy plays in the fourth quarter that played into the Clippers pulling out the narrow win.
For an in-depth analysis of the series, click here.
How to watch Game 3 of Nuggets-Clippers
Game 2 will be broadcast on NBATV and Altitude TV, with the opening tip scheduled for 8:00 p.m. Denver time. It will also be streamed on Altitude+. For fans who do not have the Altitude channel and only have NBATV, the game will be blacked out. Altitude+ is currently offering free three-day trials so fans can stream the game tonight.
Odds for Game 3 of Nuggets-Clippers
Spread/Total: Nuggets +5, 213
Moneyline: Nuggets +190, Clippers -230
Nikola Jokic to record a triple-double: +110
The under has hit in each of the first two games, while the Clippers have covered the spread in both games. Jokic was one rebound shy of a triple double in Game 1 but was able to secure it in Game 2, the 19th of his postseason career (third all-time).
Projected starting lineups for Game 3 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
**Porter is dealing with a shoulder sprain, and is currently listed as questionable. If he can’t go, Peyton Watson would start in his place**
Injury notes/report for Game 3 of Nuggets-Clippers
Nuggets
Michael Porter Jr. is listed as questionable after he suffered a shoulder sprain late in the Game 2 loss when he dove for a loose ball and had a Clipper land on his shoulder. DaRon Holmes II is the only other player listed on Denver’s injury report, as he is still rehabbing the Achilles tendon he tore back in the NBA Summer League.
“I never felt a pain like this in my shoulder area. I’ve had, like, rolled ankles, so I know what I can play through with that. I’ve never had this. But luckily, it’s on my left side, and then my right side,” Porter said on Monday night after suffering the injury.
Clippers
The Clippers injury report is clean heading into Game 3.
Referees for Game 3 of Nuggets-Clippers
Crew Chief: James Capers (#19) Referee: Ben Taylor (#46) Umpire: Ray Acosta (#54) Alternate: Scott Twardoski (#52)
Replay Center: Brent Barnaky, Tyler Ford
What to watch for in Game 3 of Nuggets-Clippers
Kawhi Leonard versus whoever David Adelman tasks with guarding him. Through two games, Aaron Gordon has been the primary defender on Leonard (70.0 partial possessions) while Jamal Murray has been the secondary defender (18.4 partial possessions). The Claw has knocked down 81.8% of his shots against Gordon and 100% of his shots against Murray. If Porter can’t go on Thursday due to his shoulder, that would slide Watson into a much bigger role for Denver, and could lead to him guarding Leonard more often. While he’s not as big as Leonard, like Gordon is, his length and recovery speed could make him Denver’s best option to guard the two-time NBA Finals MVP.
In a limited amount of possessions, Leonard has shot 3-for-5 from the field when guarded by Watson, but has also committed two turnovers. David Adelman has tried a lot of different strategies on defense, including a zone that the Clippers have had no problem dealing with, and putting the younger Watson on Leonard could be his next move.
