The Clippers tied the series at 1-1 after a three-point victory on Monday. Kawhi Leonard poured in 39 points on 15-of-19 shooting while three other Clippers scored in double figures.
The series shifts to Los Angeles for Games 3 and 4. The Clippers are 5.5-point favorites at home for Game 3, and the game total is set at 212.5 points on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Best Clippers vs. Nuggets Player Prop Bets on DraftKings Sportsbook
Kawhi Leonard Over 25.5 Points (-115)
Leonard has looked more and more like his old self lately. The superstar forward has battled injuries over the past few years that have limited his minutes and production, but he seems to be back at full strength.
He’s played at least 38 minutes in all five of his last games with three over 40 minutes. His regular season finale even peaked at 47 minutes. With such a tight playoff series, Leonard should see extensive minutes yet again.
While James Harden, Norman Powell and Ivica Zubac did the heavy lifting during the regular season, Leonard has always been viewed as the team’s top player once healthy. After playing just 37 regular season games, it seems he’s ready for a playoff takeover.
The more time Leonard spends on the floor, the more chances he’ll have to score.
Michael Porter Jr. Under 1.5 Assists (-135)
It’s well-documented that Michael Porter Jr. isn’t known for his passing, so it’s not shocking that his Game 3 line is set at 1.5 assists. Porter averages just 2.1 assists per game and has hit this under in 24 of 77 games this season.
He’s recorded just one assist over his past four games, including both playoff games against the Clippers thus far. His lack of distribution is more prevalent in the postseason since Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray take an even greater role on the ball.
Each possession means more in the playoffs, so Denver tends to lean on Jokic and Murray for offensive playmaking. It’s not just this season either. This has been the case for numerous years.
Since Porter made his playoff debut in 2020, he’s averaging 1.2 assists per game. He has 74 assists in 63 total playoff games and one or fewer assists in 45 of those contests.
It’s become a meme over the past couple years that Porter doesn’t swing the rock, but there is some truth to it. He’s not regularly tallying assists, so it’s a good bet to take his under in Game 3.
Nikola Jokic 3+ three-pointers (+170)
Jokic’s three-pointers prop bets was my favorite bet all season. The MVP finalist set career highs in made three-pointers per game (2.0), three-pointers attempted per game (4.7) and three-point percentage (41.7).
His three-pointers prop was often set at 1.5, even earlier in the season when his volume and percentage were higher. The odds, however, varied, but they were almost always worth taking, even if they weren’t the most favorable.
Game 3’s odds for over 1.5 made three-pointers is set at -175. This is still a good play since Jokic has the green light from deep, but there isn’t enough juice for the risk. Instead, bettors should consider the 3+ three-pointers prop at +170.
Jokic is coming off a Game 2 in which he made 4-of-8 three-pointers. That should continue in Game 3 as long as Zubac is guarding him on the perimeter.
In three regular season matchups with the Clippers, Jokic shot 7-of-12, 2-of-7 and 2-of-2 from distance. He played just 30 minutes in the third game and was quiet all around in a 22-point victory.
The important part is volume for Jokic. He won’t go quiet in the playoffs as the Nuggets desperately need his offense to compete with Los Angeles. He shot 1-of-4 from deep in Game 1 before nailing 4-of-8 in Game 2. If he shoots like he did in Game 2, there’s a good chance he hits at least three again.
Parlaying all three props together yields a +675 value.
