NBA Free
Pick | Clippers vs. Nuggets | Game 4
The
Clippers-Nuggets series really boils down to this - Kawhi Leonard. When he’s
on, he might be the best player in the game. Denver isn’t going to beat the
Clips with Leonard on his game.
So, the two
teams head to Game 4. Denver does not want to fall into the 3-1 hole, though
they did against Utah and battled their way back. Against Leonard, coming back
from 3-1 might not be possible.
WEEKLY
FOOTBALL SQUARES CONTEST IS BACK
Whatever
happens, expect the Nuggets to stay in this one and that gives us a clue to
today’s free pick.
Game: Los
Angeles Clippers (54-26, 46-34 ATS) vs. Denver Nuggets (51-31, 40-39-3 ATS)
When: 9:00
PM ET, Wednesday, September 9, 2020
Where:
ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, Lake Buena Vista, Florida
America’s
Bookie Current Line: LAC -8 Total:
220.5
TV Coverage:
ESPN
Denver and
L.A. have now played six times this year. The Clippers have won four of those
games. The Game 3 victory was the first in which the Clips didn’t win by double
digits.
In those
six games, each team is 3-3 ATS. While Los Angeles won Game 3, they did not
cover the nine-point spread in a 113-107 victory. The Clips were favored by 9.5
in Game 2 but got beat after Leonard shot just 4-of-13 and finished with just
13 points.
Leonard is
the key even though it was Paul George who scored 32 points in the Game 3 win.
George, who hits 3.3 three-pointers per game, hit 5-of-7 from long range.
Leonard was 9-of-19 and finished with 23 points.
SPORTS
BETTING: WHAT
IS A PARLAY BETTING?
The
Clippers star and reigning NBA Finals MVP shot a blistering 75 percent from the
field in Game 1 when he scored 29 points. After the Game 2 disaster, Leonard
was a bit better in Game 3 hitting 47.4 percent of his shots.
For Denver,
it’s all about Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. Jokic leads the Nuggets in points
(19.9), rebounds (9.7), and assists (7.0). Murray is the Nuggets leading scorer
in the postseason averaging 27.4 points per game.
EDITOR’S
CHOICE: BETTING
NFL WEEK 1
Murray has
really come into his own this postseason, but in the Nuggets’ two losses he
scored just 12 and 14 points. He had 27 in Denver’s Game 2 victory. Murray is
due for another big game in Game 4.
Denver will
have a difficult time beating the Clippers as they have all season, but this NBA
free pick isn’t about wins and losses. This is about
covering that 8-point spread.
In games
this season when Denver was at least a 7.5-point underdog, the Nuggets are 4-2
ATS. Denver is also 6-1 ATS in their last seven games.
The
Clippers, on the other hand, have been favored by 7.5 points or more quite
often in the 2019-20 NBA season. Their record of 18-17 ATS in those games is
not all that impressive.
Expect a
battle from Denver as they try not to fall into the 3-1 hole and even the
series at 2-2. They may not win, but the Nuggets will keep this one
close.
NBA Free
Pick: Denver +8