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Clippers vs Nuggets 2025 Game 7 Preview: For All the Marbles
The Clippers and Nuggets square off in Denver for a Game 7 of what has been a highly entertaining and competitive series.
Game
Information
Where: Ball Arena, Denver, Colorado
When: 7:00 PM PT
How to Watch: TNT, FanDuel Sports SoCal, AM 570
Projected
Starting Lineups
Clippers: James Harden – Norm Powell – Kris Dunn – Kawhi Leonard – Ivica Zubac
Nuggets: Jamal Murray – Christian Braun – Michael Porter Jr. – Aaron Gordon – Nikola Jokic
Injuries
Nuggets: Da’Ron Holmes Out (Achilles), Michael Porter Jr. Probable (Shoulder), Russell Westbrook Probable (Foot)
Clippers: None
Notes
Final Rotation Tweaks: Ty Lue’s rotations continued to evolve in Game 6. Kris Dunn only played 10 minutes in the Clippers’ win, with Nic Batum starting after halftime and Dunn not checking in during the second half. Ben Simmons didn’t play at all, meaning Ty went with a 7-man rotation in the second half. I don’t think he’ll do that for an entire game, so I’d expect Dunn to play at least a bit in Game 7, but I have no idea whether he’ll start or not. Ty could also keep Dunn on the bench but turn back to Simmons for small-ball center minutes. Regardless, Nic Batum is going to play a huge role, and Bogdan Bogdanovic and Derrick Jones Jr. will get some minutes. I don’t think there will be any final curveballs, not in Game 7, but who knows with Ty Lue.
Norm on the Road: There’s no Clippers player that has had bigger swings between road and home games in this series than Norm Powell. At home, he’s averaging 22 points per game while shooting 57.5% from the field and 37.5% from three while getting to the line 4.3 times per game. Pretty great! On the road, Norm is averaging 12.3 points while shooting 39.5% from the field and 37.5% from three (on fewer attempts) while getting to the line 1.3 times per game. That’s pretty bad! Norm’s shooting and downhill driving have been huge for the Clippers all year, and when he’s off the Clippers just lack the firepower to beat a team like Denver regularly. If Norm can play to the level he’s shown at home, the Clippers should be in the game.
Can DJJ Do it Again: One of the biggest differences in Game 6 outside of general shooting and energy was the play of Derrick Jones Jr. DJJ, who was such a critical part of the Clippers for most of the season as a starter, had barely been a presence in the series. The first half looked to be more of the same, as Jones missed several wide-open threes and seemed to droop. But Ty Lue stuck with him, even over Kris Dunn, and a nice layup after getting the ball in the short roll got DJJ going. He then made two threes in the second half while playing his usual strong defense, and was a major factor in the Clippers’ excellent third quarter and start of the 4th. A similar-level performance by DJJ would go a long way for the Clippers.
Rest vs Play Conundrum: This is always so challenging for coaches – whether to keep your best players in all the time so you have them on the court, or steal quick breaks for them in an attempt to keep them fresh. This is Game 7, so there’s no “saving minutes” for later in the series, but even in one game an extra minute or two of rest can make a difference. David Adelman has been playing his key Nuggets’ stars huge minutes the entire series while Ty Lue has held back a bit more, so it will be interesting to see whether Adelman presses even further in this game and if Ty Lue matches him or tries to buy more rest. We know James Harden is going to play 45+ minutes if the game is close, the question is whether Ivica Zubac, Kawhi Leonard, and even Norm Powell or Nic Batum get similarly high minutes loads. Harden was gassed at the end of Game 6, which led to the Clippers’ offense falling apart, while Zu being held out for an extended period in the 4th, although terrifying, resulted in him playing extremely good and high-energy defense on Jokic too close. It’s a tough tightrope to walk.
Clippers vs Nuggets 2025 Game 7 Preview: For All the Marbles
Robert Flom