Nuggets Visit Clippers in Preseason Slog—Take the Under at 225.5

The Nuggets roll into LA for a Wednesday night preseason exhibition that should play out exactly like October basketball tends to: sluggish, disjointed, and mercifully low-scoring. Denver's got the firepower on paper, sure, but Jokić and Murray aren't logging 35 minutes in a meaningless tune-up. Expect 20 minutes of polish, then a parade of camp bodies auditioning for garbage-time minutes.

The Clippers' situation is even uglier. Brandon Ingram, Max Strus, and Jordan Miller are all sidelined, gutting their offensive depth. Bradley Beal is day-to-day managing knee inflammation, which in preseason-speak means "we're not risking anything." That leaves a rotation stretched thin and relying heavily on fringe roster guys who'll brick open threes and kill possessions with hesitation.

Preseason games are laboratories, not competitions. Coaches tinker, starters sit early, and the game devolves into a choppy mess by the third quarter. Both benches run 15-20 deep, meaning you're watching two-way contract players and training camp hopefuls clank shots for extended stretches. The under 225.5 isn't a reach—it's the logical outcome when neither team has incentive to push pace or hunt offense. DarkHorse likes the under at moderate confidence, and frankly, it's hard to argue. This one stays ugly.