Overview

• The Clippers and Nuggets, both 50-32, open their best-of-seven first-round series Saturday at Ball Arena in Denver.
• Los Angeles rides an eight-game winning streak, fueled by Kawhi Leonard’s return and a top-tier defense ranked fourth in opponent points allowed.
• Denver faces postseason uncertainty after late-season firings of head coach Michael Malone and GM Calvin Booth, with interim coach David Adelman now leading the team.
• Nikola Jokic, a three-time MVP, averaged a historic triple-double this season, but Denver’s supporting cast, including Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr., must step up.
• The Clippers’ offensive core features three 20-point scorers—James Harden, Kawhi Leonard, and Norman Powell—while Ivica Zubac anchors their defensive strategy against Jokic.