NBA Playoff Selection

[ProInfoSports]

NBA Playoff Selection

Denver +5 over LA CLIPPERS

In one of the stranger first-round series in recent NBA Playoffs memory, a #3 seed, which actually tied for the 8th-best conference record will be on the road against a #6 seed that had the 5th-best mark on the West. Not far removed from one of the stranger games in NBA history, the Clippers look to continue their surprising season-long success when they host the Nuggets. Due to the unusual circumstance of a division winner - which automatically gets a top-three seed - having a record no better than any other qualifying playoff team, the Clippers were put in a situation against Memphis last Tuesday where a loss would allow them to open the series at the Staples Center, but a win would force them to open against a much stronger Dallas team on the road. To nobody's surprise, LA lost, and speculation was that they lost intentionally in order to get home court and Denver for the first round of the playoffs.

The Clippers are in the postseason for the first time since 1997 and had its most wins since 1975, when the franchise was still based in Buffalo. The Nuggets are making their third straight trip to the playoffs after winning their first division title since 1988, but they haven't advanced to the second round since 1994. Third-year forward Carmelo Anthony has been special, carrying the Nuggets to their division title. While Denver finished with 4 losses after clinching the crown, they shouldn't be counted out. They do have the personnel, if healthy, to make a run all the way to the Western Conference finals. They fortified their roster with the likes of Ruben Patterson and Reggie Evans before the trade deadline and they already had playoff-tested players at every position. All their starters have been to the postseason at least twice. Forward Kenyon Martin having been to NBA Finals with the New Jersey Nets in 2002 and 2003 and center Marcus Camby made a stop there with the New York Knicks in 1999.

The Clippers have Sam Cassell, who won championships with the Houston Rockets in 1994 and 1995 and has been in 103 playoff games. And they have guard Cuttino Mobley, who has been in 14 playoff games, and forward Vladimir Radmanovic, who has been in 11. After that, it's pretty much a bare Clippers cupboard. Team stalwarts Elton Brand, Corey Maggette and Chris Kaman and top reserve Shaun Livingston never have gotten a sniff of the playoffs. They also finished weakly, going 0-4 ATS in their last 4 home games and are a poor 1-8-1 ATS at home vs. opponents on a losing streak.

The games in this series should be competitive, and we look for this one to go down to the wire. Denver shocked #1 seed San Antonio last year in Game 1 of the first round and they'll certainly have the confidence to pull off a mild surprise here. The Clippers will likely have some playoff jitters, which is not ideal for a favorite to cover a pointspread. We'll take the underdog with a huge edge in playoff experience to keep this one at least close enough to record a spread victory.

PROJECTED FINAL SCORE: LA CLIPPERS 97 DENVER 96