Two and a half months ago, the LA Clippers came up short in Game 7 of the first round against the Denver Nuggets, coming out flat in the mile-high altitude and crashing out of the playoffs.
Tonight, they’ll get a shot at redemption in the NBA Summer League, hoping the young guys can do what the veterans failed to. The game will tip off at 11 p.m. ET.
LA is a 9.5-point favorite at DraftKings Sportsbook (-500 on the Moneyline), with the point total set for 181.5. Denver is +380 on the Moneyline. Below, I’ll preview each team and offer a prediction.
Clippers-Nuggets Roster Breakdown
The Clippers are one of just eight teams not to lose a game so far, though their wins have been fairly narrow. Despite having one of the oldest rosters in the league, LA has received plenty of contributions from less heralded players, with third-year pro Jordan Miller contributing 21.0 points per game on 50-35-88 shooting splits, Cam Christie averaging 16.7 points, and fourth-year forward Patrick Baldwin Jr., a career 37.3% three-point shooter, scoring 16.0 per game. LA has racked up the third-most steals in the competition, just as it did during the 2024-25 regular season.
The Nuggets, meanwhile, are one of just four teams not to pick up a win, though of those four teams, they have the best point differential. Like the Clippers, Denver is one of the league’s most veteran-oriented teams, and no players on its Summer League roster are likely to have a place in the regular-season rotation. Last season’s 22nd overall pick DaRon Holmes II, who tore his Achilles tendon in last season’s summer league and missed the entire season, is probably the most promising prospect. Hunter Tyson has led the team in scoring with an inefficient 12.5 points per game, but Holmes — who has averaged 11.0 points per game and canned 43.5% of his triples — has been the most impressive. Just as they did during the regular season, the Nuggets have dominated the boards, but they’re just one of nine teams with more turnovers than assists.
Clippers vs. Nuggets Pick
LA Clippers -9.5 (-110)
Barring LA shutting down Miller or Christie, the Clippers’ Summer League roster is so much more talented than Denver’s. While Holmes’ three-point shooting is a huge positive — the improved jumper that he displayed in his junior season at Dayton appears to have carried over to the NBA — the Nuggets don’t have anything to play for in the Summer League. Miller was a rotational piece prior to Kawhi Leonard’s return from injury and can be a capable wing defender if Leonard goes down again.
