Nuggets vs. Clippers Series Prediction: An Intense Series

SportsGrid

Watch Nuggets vs. Clippers Series Prediction: An Intense Series - SportsGrid on Dailymotion

Transcript

00:00Nuggets Clippers, this number has been moving throughout the lead-up to this game, number one,

00:06which will be in the 330 window today, and it has now found us with a new favorite in this series.

00:14It is now minus 118, coach, for the Clippers to win this series.

00:20In front of you on the TV side are your game number one odds,

00:24but you see the series price is reflective of the Clippers at minus 118.

00:30Even money on the consensus best player in the world to win a round one series

00:38where his team has home court advantage.

00:44That is not a common occurrence.

00:49Where did you land on Denver LA?

00:52Buckle up.

00:53I mean, buckle up.

00:55I mean, just think about what Kevin is saying and just look at the fact that the series spread.

00:59You know, Denver plus one and a half games is minus 180.

01:03What are the books telling you it's going seven?

01:06Yeah.

01:07It's telling you it's going seven, and it's a matter of what you trust.

01:12Now, I'm under the belief that Michael Malone is one of the ten best coaches in the world,

01:17but that doesn't mean at some point you flame out and you've got to make a change.

01:22What I've seen out of Denver the last three games leading up to the playoffs is obviously the need to win to stay out of the plan,

01:29but I saw a better and more locked and defensive team that I saw before that four-game losing streak.

01:35But then you look at the Clippers.

01:36They've won eight games in a row.

01:38Harden goes absolutely nuclear.

01:40So now, where am I at?

01:43I'm on Denver in seven.

01:44But here's why.

01:46Because of the fact that it's in Denver, I'm going to trust the best player in the world,

01:51and I'm going to go back to track record.

01:57James Harden, game sevens.

02:00Don't look it up.

02:02Just – I don't even have to go through.

02:04If I'm not mistaken, Kevin, I don't think he scored more than 21 points in a game seven in his career.

02:09And he's got some awful numbers in a game seven.

02:14To me, because it's home, it's Harden, I'm going to go with a fantastic series.

02:24Denver wins in seven.

02:25Coach, we're seeing it the same.

02:28I also am picking Denver in seven.

02:30I was – now, I did not wager on any of the series – I didn't bet the Nuggets had even money to win the series.

02:41I didn't bet Denver in exactly seven.

02:43What I wanted to bet, but I didn't think was good enough value, was Denver game one and Denver to win the series.

02:49I thought there was a – since they're a dog, I thought maybe we would get two to one.

02:52We're still – we're only seeing around plus 160.

02:54I am on Denver here today, minus two and a half points in the opener.

03:00I am fading Harden out of the gate.

03:04Maybe the gap from when they beat the Warriors to today is big enough.

03:09But Harden having a game like that will happen in this series.

03:14It's that they are almost always followed up with terrible games.

03:18This is a very, very important Harden series.

03:21If you want to kind of – Jokic versus Kawhi, it'll be close.

03:27Jokic should win.

03:28But if Kawhi is healthy, he is an elite postseason performer.

03:32The swing of this series could be Jamal Murray and James Harden.

03:37And if you like Harden to win that matchup, this could very well be Clippers in five.

03:41You could sell me on that.

03:43I ultimately think it is more of a war.

03:46I think it is less consistency from Harden.

03:49And I said there was one thing that pushed me over the edge to picking Denver to win that game seven.

03:54And it is Jamal Murray.

03:55Last year, game seven, Denver on their home court did lose.

03:59But not because of Jamal Murray and not because of Nikola Jokic.

04:01As they combined for 69 of the 90 points scored by that team.

04:05Jamal Murray might have a tough series.

04:08Chris Don is fantastic.

04:09I don't think this is a Norman Powell series, by the way.

04:12I don't think he should be playing a ton for the Clippers.

04:14We'll see how the rotation certainly works.

04:16But I think if you get to a seventh game, Jamal Murray will be great.

04:22He might struggle.

04:23He might struggle today.

04:24He's going to struggle in L.A.

04:25That's going to happen.

04:26He's going to struggle on the road to the playoffs.

04:28But at game seven, as long as Jokic gets his co-star ready to rock, which I think he will,

04:35I think they survive an advance here as a dog against the Clippers.

04:39Yeah.

04:40And I think when you look at James Harden, folks, I'm going to say this.

04:43I think this is the last opportunity for his legacy.

04:48And hear me out.

04:49This guy is 11th all time and scoring 13th in assists.

04:54But you don't classify him as a winner.

04:57If there's a game seven and he goes another dud, it will hurt his legacy more than it's already been hurt.

Category

Transcript

Recommended