Why are the Denver Nuggets considered favorites over the Clippers?

The Nuggets have multiple advantages: Nikola Jokic is a generational MVP-caliber talent superior to any single Clippers player, they won the 2023 NBA Championship proving their system works, they maintain better defensive efficiency, and they have greater roster continuity. While the Clippers have excellent wings, they lack a dominant superstar to match Jokic's impact.

What are the Clippers' strengths compared to the Nuggets?

The Clippers excel in perimeter defense with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, boast a higher offensive rating with more diverse scoring threats, and demonstrate superior three-point shooting. They also feature strong backcourt playmaking and can switch defensively on most positions, making them a versatile matchup threat.

How do Kawhi Leonard and Paul George compare to Nikola Jokic?

Jokic is elite at both ends of the floor with MVP-level impact on offense (scoring, playmaking, rebounding) and strong defense, while Leonard and George are elite perimeter defenders and volume scorers. However, Jokic's all-around excellence—particularly his passing and efficiency—gives the Nuggets an advantage. The Clippers' wings are more defensively specialized, while Jokic dominates both sides.

Which team has a better supporting cast?

The Nuggets have a more cohesive supporting cast with Jamal Murray, Jalen Murray, and complementary role players who understand their system. The Clippers have depth at multiple positions but have experienced roster changes. The Nuggets' continuity from their championship run provides better chemistry and system familiarity.

What are the main injury concerns for both teams?

The Clippers have a concerning history with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George missing extended time due to injuries, impacting their consistency. The Nuggets have been relatively healthy but face depth concerns when key players are sidelined. Both teams' championship aspirations depend heavily on staying healthy during the playoff stretch.

LA Clippers vs Denver Nuggets

Updated March 28, 2026

LA Clippers

Western Conference contenders with superstar duo Leonard and George

Teams seeking defensive intensity and experienced championship-caliber wings for immediate contention

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Denver Nuggets

Western Conference team that fell just short in an exciting road loss

Fans seeking a championship-proven team with an elite superstar and sustainable winning culture

Short Answer

The Denver Nuggets are the defending NBA champions with a star-studded roster led by Nikola Jokic, while the LA Clippers compete as Western Conference contenders with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. The Nuggets have superior championship credentials and a more cohesive system, whereas the Clippers offer more offensive firepower on paper.

Our Verdict

The Denver Nuggets hold a significant edge due to their championship pedigree, elite MVP-caliber talent in Nikola Jokic, and strong two-way play. However, the LA Clippers remain competitive with their offensive capabilities and star wings, though they must overcome consistency issues and injury concerns to challenge Denver's dominance.

LA Clippers7.5

7.5Denver Nuggets

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Key Differences at a Glance

🔹

Championship Status: Denver Nuggets wins (2023 Champions vs Contenders)

🔹

MVP Caliber Star: Denver Nuggets wins (Nikola Jokic (3x MVP) vs Kawhi Leonard (All-Star))

🔹

Offensive Rating (2025-26): LA Clippers wins (115.2 PPG vs 113.8 PPG)

See all 7 differences

Key Facts & Figures

Metric	LA Clippers	Denver Nuggets	Diff
Nikola Jokic Points Per Game (2025-26)(PPG)	N/A	27.2	—
Kawhi Leonard Points Per Game (2025-26)(PPG)	24.8	N/A	—
Team Offensive Rating (2025-26)(Points per 100 possessions)	115.2	113.8	+1%
Team Defensive Rating (2025-26)(Points per 100 possessions)

Key Differences

LA Clippers

Attribute

Denver Nuggets

Contenders

Championship Status

2023 Champions🏆

Kawhi Leonard (All-Star)

MVP Caliber Star

Nikola Jokic (3x MVP)🏆

115.2 PPG🏆

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Last updated: March 28, 2026AI generated

Championship Status

LA Clippers

Contenders

Denver Nuggets

2023 Champions🏆

MVP Caliber Star

LA Clippers

Kawhi Leonard (All-Star)

Denver Nuggets

Nikola Jokic (3x MVP)🏆

Offensive Rating (2025-26)

LA Clippers

115.2 PPG🏆

Denver Nuggets

113.8 PPG

Defensive Rating (2025-26)

LA Clippers

110.5 DRTG

Denver Nuggets

107.2 DRTG🏆

Roster Age

LA Clippers

Older (avg 28.5 yrs)

Denver Nuggets

Balanced (avg 27.2 yrs)🏆

Playoff Experience

LA Clippers

High turnover

Denver Nuggets

Continuity-based🏆

Three-Point Shooting

LA Clippers

37.2%🏆

Denver Nuggets

36.8%

Full Comparison

Attribute	LA Clippers	Denver Nuggets

Nikola Jokic Points Per Game (2025-26)(PPG)	N/A	27.2

Kawhi Leonard Points Per Game (2025-26)(PPG)	24.8	N/A

Team Offensive Rating (2025-26)(Points per 100 possessions)	115.2	113.8
Team Defensive Rating (2025-26)(Points per 100 possessions)	110.5	107.2

Championships Won(titles)	0	1 (2023)

Jamal Murray / Paul George Assists (2025-26)(APG)	9.1 (PG)	7.8 (Murray)

Three-Point Shooting Percentage(%)	37.2	36.8
Aaron Gordon Field Goal %(%)	42.9% (6-14 FG)	—
Aaron Gordon Three-Point %(%)	50% (2-4 3P)	—
Aaron Gordon Free Throw %(%)	90% (9-10 FT)	—

Average Team Payroll (2025-26)(Million USD)	$188M	$182M

Championship Titles(titles)	0	1

Offensive Rating(points per 100 possessions)	119.8	118.2

Defensive Rating(points per 100 possessions)	112.1	110.5

Net Rating(points per 100 possessions)	+7.7	+7.7

Star Player (Primary)	Kawhi Leonard (Elite 2-Way)	Nikola Jokic (MVP)

Bench Scoring(points per game)	22.1	28.4

Three-Point Percentage(percent)	39.2%	37.8%

Most Recent Playoff Round	Second Round (2024)	Finals (2024)

Nikola Jokic Points Per Game(PPG)	33.6 PPG	—
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Points Per Game(PPG)	N/A	—

Team Defensive Rating(DRTG)	108.2	—

2023-24 Win-Loss Record(Wins)	57-25	—

NBA Championship Titles(Titles)	1 (2023)	—

Average Team Age(years)	27.8 years	—

Playoff Appearances (Last 5 Years)(appearances)	5 of 5	—

Final Score(points)	129	—

Location	Away - Denver, CO	—

Aaron Gordon Points(points)	23	—

Aaron Gordon Plus-Minus(rating)	+14	—

Game-Winning Play	Jokic 3P (0:08 remaining) - 125-126	—

LA Clippers

Denver Nuggets

Nikola Jokic Points Per Game (2025-26)(PPG)

N/A

27.2

Kawhi Leonard Points Per Game (2025-26)(PPG)

24.8

N/A

Team Offensive Rating (2025-26)(Points per 100 possessions)

115.2

113.8

Team Defensive Rating (2025-26)(Points per 100 possessions)

110.5

107.2

Championships Won(titles)

1 (2023)

Jamal Murray / Paul George Assists (2025-26)(APG)

9.1 (PG)

7.8 (Murray)

Three-Point Shooting Percentage(%)

37.2

36.8

Aaron Gordon Field Goal %(%)

42.9% (6-14 FG)

—

Aaron Gordon Three-Point %(%)

50% (2-4 3P)

—

Aaron Gordon Free Throw %(%)

90% (9-10 FT)

—

Average Team Payroll (2025-26)(Million USD)

$188M

$182M

Championship Titles(titles)

Offensive Rating(points per 100 possessions)

119.8

118.2

Defensive Rating(points per 100 possessions)

112.1

110.5

Net Rating(points per 100 possessions)

+7.7

Star Player (Primary)

Kawhi Leonard (Elite 2-Way)

Nikola Jokic (MVP)

Bench Scoring(points per game)

22.1

28.4

Three-Point Percentage(percent)

39.2%

37.8%

Most Recent Playoff Round

Second Round (2024)

Finals (2024)

Nikola Jokic Points Per Game(PPG)

33.6 PPG

—

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Points Per Game(PPG)

N/A

—

Team Defensive Rating(DRTG)

108.2

—

2023-24 Win-Loss Record(Wins)

57-25

—

NBA Championship Titles(Titles)

1 (2023)

—

Average Team Age(years)

27.8 years

—

Playoff Appearances (Last 5 Years)(appearances)

5 of 5

—

Final Score(points)

129

—

Location

Away - Denver, CO

—

Aaron Gordon Points(points)

—

Aaron Gordon Plus-Minus(rating)

+14

—

Game-Winning Play

Jokic 3P (0:08 remaining) - 125-126

—

Full Comparison

Attribute	LA Clippers	Denver Nuggets

Nikola Jokic Points Per Game (2025-26)(PPG)	N/A	27.2

Kawhi Leonard Points Per Game (2025-26)(PPG)	24.8	N/A

Team Offensive Rating (2025-26)(Points per 100 possessions)	115.2	113.8
Team Defensive Rating (2025-26)(Points per 100 possessions)	110.5	107.2

Championships Won(titles)	0	1 (2023)

Jamal Murray / Paul George Assists (2025-26)(APG)	9.1 (PG)	7.8 (Murray)

Three-Point Shooting Percentage(%)	37.2	36.8
Aaron Gordon Field Goal %(%)	42.9% (6-14 FG)	—
Aaron Gordon Three-Point %(%)	50% (2-4 3P)	—
Aaron Gordon Free Throw %(%)	90% (9-10 FT)	—

Average Team Payroll (2025-26)(Million USD)	$188M	$182M

Championship Titles(titles)	0	1

Offensive Rating(points per 100 possessions)	119.8	118.2

Defensive Rating(points per 100 possessions)	112.1	110.5

Net Rating(points per 100 possessions)	+7.7	+7.7

Star Player (Primary)	Kawhi Leonard (Elite 2-Way)	Nikola Jokic (MVP)

Bench Scoring(points per game)	22.1	28.4

Three-Point Percentage(percent)	39.2%	37.8%

Most Recent Playoff Round	Second Round (2024)	Finals (2024)

Nikola Jokic Points Per Game(PPG)	33.6 PPG	—
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Points Per Game(PPG)	N/A	—

Team Defensive Rating(DRTG)	108.2	—

2023-24 Win-Loss Record(Wins)	57-25	—

NBA Championship Titles(Titles)	1 (2023)	—

Average Team Age(years)	27.8 years	—

Playoff Appearances (Last 5 Years)(appearances)	5 of 5	—

Final Score(points)	129	—

Location	Away - Denver, CO	—

Aaron Gordon Points(points)	23	—

Aaron Gordon Plus-Minus(rating)	+14	—

Game-Winning Play	Jokic 3P (0:08 remaining) - 125-126	—

LA Clippers

Denver Nuggets

Nikola Jokic Points Per Game (2025-26)(PPG)

N/A

27.2

Kawhi Leonard Points Per Game (2025-26)(PPG)

24.8

N/A

Team Offensive Rating (2025-26)(Points per 100 possessions)

115.2

113.8

Team Defensive Rating (2025-26)(Points per 100 possessions)

110.5

107.2

Championships Won(titles)

1 (2023)

Jamal Murray / Paul George Assists (2025-26)(APG)

9.1 (PG)

7.8 (Murray)

Three-Point Shooting Percentage(%)

37.2

36.8

Aaron Gordon Field Goal %(%)

42.9% (6-14 FG)

—

Aaron Gordon Three-Point %(%)

50% (2-4 3P)

—

Aaron Gordon Free Throw %(%)

90% (9-10 FT)

—

Average Team Payroll (2025-26)(Million USD)

$188M

$182M

Championship Titles(titles)

Offensive Rating(points per 100 possessions)

119.8

118.2

Defensive Rating(points per 100 possessions)

112.1

110.5

Net Rating(points per 100 possessions)

+7.7

Star Player (Primary)

Kawhi Leonard (Elite 2-Way)

Nikola Jokic (MVP)

Bench Scoring(points per game)

22.1

28.4

Three-Point Percentage(percent)

39.2%

37.8%

Most Recent Playoff Round

Second Round (2024)

Finals (2024)

Nikola Jokic Points Per Game(PPG)

33.6 PPG

—

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Points Per Game(PPG)

N/A

—

Team Defensive Rating(DRTG)

108.2

—

2023-24 Win-Loss Record(Wins)

57-25

—

NBA Championship Titles(Titles)

1 (2023)

—

Average Team Age(years)

27.8 years

—

Playoff Appearances (Last 5 Years)(appearances)

5 of 5

—

Final Score(points)

129

—

Location

Away - Denver, CO

—

Aaron Gordon Points(points)

—

Aaron Gordon Plus-Minus(rating)

+14

—

Game-Winning Play

Jokic 3P (0:08 remaining) - 125-126

—

LA Clippers vs Denver Nuggets

LA Clippers

Denver Nuggets

Short Answer

Our Verdict

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Key Differences at a Glance

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LA Clippers vs Denver Nuggets

LA Clippers

Denver Nuggets

Short Answer

Our Verdict

🔔Track this comparison

Key Differences at a Glance

Key Facts & Figures

Key Differences

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Full Comparison

Visual Comparison

Pros & Cons

LA Clippers

Pros

Cons

Denver Nuggets

Pros

Cons

Frequently Asked Questions

Resources & Learn More

Learn More

Wikipedia

Videos

Full Comparison

Visual Comparison

Track this comparison