Two straight victories have given the Nuggets a commanding 3-2 series lead over the Clippers in round one of the NBA playoffs. Somehow, Denver earned a win in Game 5 despite getting just 13 points from Nikola Jokic. Although the center still put together a triple-double, it was a remarkably low-scoring performance. What kind of production should fans expect from the Joker in Los Angeles tonight?
The Nuggets enter tonight’s contest as 6.5-point underdogs, with the over/under set at 211.5 points. Here’s the best Nikola Jokic prop bet on DraftKings Sportsbook before Thursday’s game tips off.
Nikola Jokic O 9.5 assists (-130)
As previously mentioned, Jokic had difficulty putting the ball in the basket on Tuesday, going 4-of-13 from the field. It was an abnormally inefficient day from the superstar, who recorded a 57.6% field goal percentage during the regular season. That margin has dipped to a (still stellar) mark of 51.1% through five postseason games.
Even on a poor shooting day, the big man still found a way to make an impact. Jokic dished out 12 assists and hauled in ten rebounds during Game 5. It was his third triple-double over Denver’s last four games. When his Nuggets teammates are hitting their shots, Jokic is more than willing to serve as a facilitator. Granted, that’s no guarantee against an elite Clippers defense.
While Los Angeles can be a chore to score against, they also have done an exceptional job on the glass. This season, the Clippers have allowed just 49.1 rebounds per game to opponents, the lowest mark in basketball. Jokic has failed to record more than 12 boards in three of his five outings in this series. That’s due in large part to the presence of seven-footer Ivica Zubac, one of the association’s best rebounders.
The Clippers have allowed the tenth-most assists per game this season (25.6). That’s a good, not great mark, especially when guarding the greatest passing big man in NBA history. In seven of his previous ten meetings with Los Angeles, Jokic has notched at least ten dimes. With LA hellbent on limiting his scoring, the former MVP should have plenty of opportunities to find his teammates. Look for the Serbian to dominate as a distributor on Thursday night.
