The Denver Nuggets will look to take advantage of an injury-riddled Los Angeles Clippers team on Wednesday night
The Denver Nuggets are starting to hit their stride as a team, and look like the roster many expected to contend for an NBA Championship. After falling to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Semifinals, the Nuggets have reloaded, and new additions like Jonas Valanciunas and Tim Hardaway Jr. are already making strong contributions to the team.
On Wednesday night, they'll face the Los Angeles Clippers on the second night of a back-to-back after playing the Sacramento Kings on the road. A rematch of the first round last season, the Clippers look like a shell of the team that won 50 games last year.
Matchup Preview
Since losing to the Miami Heat 120-119, when Kawhi Leonard's game-winning shot missed, the team has gone downhill. Leonard has missed every game since then, and the Clippers hold a 3-7 record after dropping their last five games. When they host the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday, they'll also be without Bradley Beal as he continues to have injuries.
In terms of the key matchups, one to pay attention to will be between Nikola Jokic and Ivica Zubac. Jokic is looking like he'll contend for his fourth NBA MVP this season, as he's averaging a triple-double through 10 games this season. As for Zubac, he's been one of the few consistent pieces for the Clippers this year, following up his breakout season a year ago.
As for the other matchup, fans will be paying attention to the top two guards as Jamal Murray and James Harden go head-to-head. Harden continues to play at a high level, despite being late into his 30s. As for Murray, he got off to a hot start this season, but has cooled off since.
Last season, not counting the postseason, the teams split the season series 2-2, with the Clippers winning the first two contests and the Nuggets winning the final two. The Nuggets are off to a hot start this year, though, while the Clippers look like they could end up as a lottery team in a loaded Western Conference.
After Wednesday against the Clippers, the Nuggets will continue on to Minnesota to play the Timberwolves, a team that always has quality matchups against Denver. While they've been stellar at home this season, the Nuggets won't log consecutive home games until the middle of December.
Tip-off at the Intuit Dome on Wednesday is set for 10:30 p.m. EST, and the Nuggets will look to continue their rise in the standings alongside the Oklahoma City Thunder, Los Angeles Lakers, and the surprise team, the San Antonio Spurs.