The Los Angeles Clippers will be taking on the Denver Nuggets tonight for their final game of the NBA preseason. As many fans will still remember, the team ended up being eliminated from the playoffs in the first round last season. However, many NBA experts claimed that not having either Kawhi Leonard or Paul George on the court greatly hampered the Clippers’ chances of winning against a team like the Phoenix Suns.
This has been a long offseason and now both Kawhi and PG look healthy for their team. Before they can start the NBA season, the Clippers get to go through one last trial run in a preseason game against the defending NBA champions.
With that being said, fans should certainly want to know the injury reports and expected rosters for both teams as they get ready to play tonight.
Kawhi Leonard is expected to play in the Los Angeles Clippers vs Denver Nuggets game tonight
Fans will remember that the Clippers and the Nuggets have a recent rivalry. Denver managed to overcome a 3-1 deficit and eliminate the Clippers in the 2020 playoffs. Therefore, every matchup between both these teams is viewed with anticipation. The Clippers and the Nuggets recently faced off for a preseason. In it, Kawhi and his team managed to blow out the Nuggets with a final score of 116-103.
This is quite an impressive feat, albeit in a preseason game. As the Clippers look to repeat their most recent performance against the Nuggets, let us take a look at the injury reports and expected rosters for both sides.
Los Angeles Clippers injury report
- Mason Plumlee (questionable)
- Marcus Morris Sr. (questionable)
- Brandon Boston Jr. (questionable)
Los Angeles Clippers expected roster
- Russell Westbrook
- Terance Mann
- Paul George
- Kawhi Leonard
- Ivica Zubac
Denver Nuggets injury report
- Nikola Jokic (questionable)
- Aaron Gordon (questionable)
- Jay Huff (questionable)
- Michael Porter Jr. (questionable)
- Jamal Murray (questionable)
- Christian Braun (questionable)
- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (questionable)
- Vlatko Cancar (out)
Denver Nuggets expected roster
- Reggie Jackson
- Hunter Tyson
- Justin Holiday
- Payton Watson
- DeAndre Jordan
As we can tell from the Nuggets’ injury report, they intend to rest the majority of their starters for this preseason matchup against the Clippers. None of these players also participated in the last preseason game against the Clippers. Nonetheless, let us take a look at the expert predictions for this game.
The Clippers are favored over the Nuggets tonight
Since the Nuggets are likely going to rest their main squad for tonight’s game, we simply don’t see the team defeating a healthy Los Angeles Clippers squad. Injuries have greatly hampered the Clippers’ chances of seriously contending for a title over the recent years. Since the team looks healthy for this game, they are expected to win.
Of course, it is important for fans to remember that a few stars from the Nuggets might play while the Clippers could sit out for this game. After all, neither team can afford to have too many players injured to start the NBA season. We look forward to a fun preseason matchup between the Los Angeles Clippers and Denver Nuggets.