The Western Conference playoffs tip off Saturday when the Los Angeles Clippers (50-32) head to Denver to take on the Nuggets (50-32) in a first-round matchup.
Los Angeles enters the playoffs on a roll. The Clippers have won eight in a row, including wins over playoff teams like Golden State, Houston, and Orlando. It’s capped a strong month where the squad has won 18 of their past 21 games.
Denver isn’t nearly that hot. The Nuggets had lost four games in a row to start April, costing former coach Michael Malone his job. Interim coach David Adelman has Denver back on track, posting three straight victories to start his tenure.
Which team’s winning streak ends on Saturday? We’ll cover that and provide our best player prop bets for this opening round Western Conference playoff matchup.
Denver’s Nikola Jokic again had an MVP season for the Nuggets. The center finished the year averaging a triple-double by scoring 29.6 points, grabbing 12.7 rebounds, and dishing out 10.2 assists.
Despite being third in the NBA in rebounding this season, Jokic has struggled against the Clippers. The 6-foot-11 center did not exceed 11 rebounds in his three previous games against the Clippers.
Bettors should have confidence that the trend will continue, as he missed hitting his season average in four of his last six games.
Kawhi Leonard suited up for the first time this season in January after recovering from injuries. His return was monitored heavily until the NBA All-Star Break, as the team played him just over 24 minutes during his return to action.
Since then, he’s ramped up his playing time and his on-court production. In April, Leonard is averaging 36 minutes per game, scoring 26.7 points in the process.
He's topped 25 points in seven of his last 10 outings, giving bettors confidence that Leonard will do the same on Saturday against the Nuggets.
Despite turning 35 years old before the season, James Harden continues to be a star for Los Angeles. The shooting guard averaged 22.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 8.7 assists for the Clippers during the regular season.
In April, Harden has hit another level. The 6-foot-5 veteran is averaging 25.9 points, 10.1 assists, and 5.9 rebounds per game to help Los Angeles enjoy its current winning streak.
Expect him to continue his resurgence in Denver, finishing with at least 38 combined points, rebounds, and assists to cover this player prop bet.
Denver and Los Angeles last played each other on January 8th, the fourth and final meeting between these two Western Conference foes. The Clippers and Nuggets split their season series, and neither team has changed drastically over the past three months.
The most significant change is that Leonard played in none of the four matchups. He’s been the reason for the Clippers’ surge.
Expect him to continue his strong April showing and help Los Angeles pull an upset against the Nuggets in the first-round opener.