:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72015656/usa_today_20082802.0.jpg "NBA picks: Clippers vs. Nuggets prediction, odds, over/under, spread, injury report")
The second of ESPN's Sunday evening doubleheader tonight will feature the Los Angeles Clippers (33-29) hitting the road to face the first-place Denver Nuggets (42-19) at 10 p.m. ET.
Los Angeles is two days removed from being involved in the second-highest scoring game in NBA history, falling to Sacramento in a 176-175 double overtime loss. You'd be hard pressed to find a game more wild than this one this season as both squads shot roughly 60% from the field and combined for 209 shot attempts for the evening. Kawhi Leonard played 46 minutes and dropped 44 points. Meanwhile, Russell Westbrook delivered 17 points and 14 assists in his Clippers debut.
Denver fell flat in a 112-94 loss to Memphis last night, its lowest offensive output of the season. The Nuggets fell into a hole in the second quarter and couldn't keep up with the Grizzlies, ultimately electing to wave the white flag early and rest its starters in the fourth quarter. Nikola Jokic provided 15 points and 13 rebounds in just 27 minutes of action.
Denver enters this contest as a 2.5-point favorite at DraftKings Sportsbook with the total installed at 234.
Clippers vs. Nuggets, 10 p.m. ET
Pick ATS: Nuggets -2.5
Denver is a league-best 20-10-1 against the spread at home this season and should be able to get things back into gear after last night's ugly performance. Starters like Jokic sat in the fourth quarter, so the fatigue of playing the back end of a back-to-back shouldn't be as much of a factor as it normally is. Take the Nuggets to cover.
Over/Under: Under 234
I can say with 99.9% certainty that we won't get a repeat of the Kings-Clippers points explosion on Friday. These are two of the more under-friendly teams in the league and while Denver should put forth a better offensive effort than last night, I still expect the under to cash here.