The Los Angeles Clippers (52-35, 50-37 ATS) face a do-or-die situation as they host the Denver Nuggets (53-34, 40-46-1 ATS) in Game 6 of their first-round playoff series Thursday night. The Clippers enter as 6.5-point favorites at home according to BetOnline odds.
The Nuggets lead the series 3-2 and are looking to close things out on the road.
Want to catch all the action? The game tips off at 10 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on TNT and truTV. You can also stream it free through Jazz Sports.
Game Details:
- Denver Nuggets @ Los Angeles Clippers
- Thursday, May 1, 2025
- 10 p.m. ET
- Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California
- Betting line: Nuggets +6.5 (-105) | Clippers -6.5 (-115)
Injury Updates
The Nuggets will be without rookie center DaRon Holmes II, who’s out for the season with an Achilles injury.
The Clippers enter the game with a clean bill of health.
Series Momentum Swings
This series has been a rollercoaster. Denver got embarrassed in Game 3, losing by a whopping 34 points. But they’ve completely flipped the script with back-to-back wins.
Game 4 ended in dramatic fashion with Aaron Gordon’s buzzer-beating dunk giving Denver the win.
Then Jamal Murray took over in Game 5.
Murray was absolutely on fire Tuesday night, pouring in 43 points in Denver’s 131-115 victory. He knocked down eight 3-pointers and shot an impressive 17-of-26 from the field. He didn’t just score either – Murray added seven assists, five rebounds, and three steals.
"When he’s aggressive, we’re a different team," said Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook, who chipped in 21 points off the bench. "When he’s got that swagger and he’s going out and competing at the level he did [Tuesday night], we’re a tough team to beat."
What’s scary for the Clippers is that Denver won big despite three-time MVP Nikola Jokic having an off night. Jokic scored just 13 points on 4-of-13 shooting in Game 5.
He still managed a triple-double with 12 assists and 10 rebounds – his 21st in playoff action – but wasn’t his usual dominant self on offense after dropping 36 points in Game 4.
"Holding Joker to 13 points and losing the game is tough but that’s how they beat you," Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. "If you worry about him too much, other guys can beat you."
The Clippers are trying to avoid playoff disappointment for the third straight year. They’ve been bounced in the first round the past two seasons – losing to the Phoenix Suns in five games in 2023 and falling to the Dallas Mavericks in six games last year.
ESPN’s Basketball Power Index gives the Clippers a 54.9% chance of forcing Game 7.
Recent history shows mixed signals. The Nuggets have won five of their last seven meetings with Los Angeles, but the Clippers have been nearly unbeatable at home lately, going 14-2 in their last 16 games at the Intuit Dome.
