The Los Angeles Clippers (No. 5 seed) are hosting the Denver Nuggets (No. 4 seed) for Game 3 of their 2025 NBA playoff series on Thursday at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif. Denver won the opening game with a 112-110 victory in overtime. The Clippers responded by winning Game 2 with a score of 105-102, thereby gaining home-court advantage as the series moves to Los Angeles.
Key performances from Game 2 included Kawhi Leonard, who was outstanding for the Clippers, scoring 39 points along with five assists and three rebounds. Ivica Zubac also performed well against Nikola Jokic, recording a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds. For the Nuggets, Michael Porter Jr. (shoulder) is listed as a game-time decision.
Regular season note: The teams split their four regular-season matchups. The Clippers have won their last three meetings against the Nuggets when playing at home.
Current betting lines for the game include:
- Clippers favored by 5.5 points
- Over/Under for total points: 213.5
- Money line: Los Angeles -229, Denver +188
- Season Against the Spread (ATS) Record: Nuggets 38-45-1
- Season Against the Spread (ATS) Record: Clippers 48-35-1
Why the Nuggets Can Cover
Despite losing Game 2, the Nuggets showed some positive signs to build on for Game 3. Denver committed 20 turnovers, significantly higher than their regular season average of 13.5, and struggled from the free-throw line, making just 14 of 22 attempts. Despite these issues, the Nuggets kept Game 2 close, staying within three points and having an opportunity to tie on their final possession.
Nikola Jokic remains a dominant force for Denver. The three-time NBA MVP averaged a triple-double during the regular season (29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds, 10.2 assists) and has maintained that elite level of production in the playoffs. Through the first two games of this series, Jokic is averaging 27.5 points, 11.0 assists, 10.0 rebounds, and 3.0 steals per game.
Why the Clippers Can Cover
The Clippers are known as a top defensive team in the NBA, and this has been evident through the first two games of the series. Los Angeles has held Denver well below their season scoring average of 120.5 points per game in both contests. In Game 2, the Clippers limited the Nuggets to just 102 points while also forcing 20 turnovers.
Kawhi Leonard and James Harden continue to perform at a high level for Los Angeles. Leonard`s performance in Game 2 was stellar, with 39 points, five assists, and three rebounds. Harden is averaging 25.0 points, 9.0 assists, and 4.5 rebounds per game so far in the series.
Game Predictions and Analysis
According to simulation-based analysis, the projected total points for the game are estimated to be around 218, suggesting a leaning towards the Over on the point total. The analysis also indicates that one side of the point spread is predicted to cover in well over 50% of simulations.
To find out which side of the spread is favored by the analysis, further detailed predictions are available.
Jasper Hawthorne