Clippers vs. Nuggets preview: 5 consecutive losses and 5 consecutive wins, can the Clippers bottom out and rebound?
6686 Sports November 12th The NBA regular season will continue tomorrow morning. The Clippers will face the Nuggets at home.
The Clippers made a lot of moves during the offseason, introducing many players such as Bill, Collins, Luo, Paul, etc. However, the team got off to a very bad start. With a record of 3 wins and 7 losses, it ranked fourth from the bottom in the Western Conference. They had suffered a five-game losing streak before. The team's overall competitive state was sluggish and morale was low. The Clippers' offense is very poor, averaging only 108.9 points per game, ranking third from the bottom in the Western Conference; they concede 114 points per game, ranking sixth in the Western Conference, and their defense is pretty good.
Leonard is the team's leading scorer, averaging 24.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game, but he has missed 3 consecutive games before. Harden averaged 22 points and 9.1 assists per game, carrying the team's offense when Leonard and Beal were absent one after another. Zubac averaged a double-double of 15.1 points and 10.4 rebounds per game. Collins and Jones Jr. also averaged double figures in points per game. Several new players with high hopes have performed mediocrely. Bill averaged only 8.2 points per game and had a low attendance rate. Los Angeles averaged 7 points per game and was repeatedly targeted on the defensive end. Veteran player Paul averaged only 2.3 points per game and was DNPed two consecutive games before.
The Nuggets and Clippers are in completely opposite competitive states. They had previously won a wave of 5 consecutive victories and ranked third in the Western Conference with a record of 8 wins and 2 losses. The team's competitive state is excellent. The Nuggets are excellent both offensively and defensively this season, averaging 124 points per game, ranking first in the Western Conference; they only concede 110.7 points per game, ranking second in the Western Conference. Their defense has improved significantly compared to last season. They average 13.3 points better than their opponents per game, ranking second in the league.
Jokic averaged a triple-double of 25.2 points, 13 rebounds, 11.9 assists and 1.9 interceptions per game. He scored 6 triple-doubles in 10 games. In the last game against the Kings, he made 16 of 19 shots and scored 35 points, 15 rebounds and 7 assists. He was full of dominance. Murray averaged 22.8 points and 5.6 assists per game, Gordon averaged 20.1 points and 5.4 rebounds per game, and Braun and Hardaway Jr. also averaged double figures. Together with Varan, Cameron Johnson, Watson, Brown and others, the team is strong.
The two teams met in the first round of the playoffs last season. At that time, the two teams fought in 7 games and the Nuggets narrowly won 4-3 to advance. In the last 10 games, the Nuggets have the advantage with 7 wins and 3 losses. Judging from the current competitive state and morale, the Nuggets have a clear advantage, and winning seems to be a piece of cake. However, it should be noted that the Nuggets played back-to-back games, with less than 24 hours of rest in between, and also experienced long-distance travel, which added variables to this game. The Clippers, who played as the home team, did not have no chance at all. In terms of injuries, the Clippers' Leonard and Bill continue to be absent. The Nuggets are all strong.
