Nuggets vs Clippers (Feb 20, 2026): Live Stream, Odds, Injury Updates & Bold Prediction

Tonight the Denver Nuggets visit the LA Clippers in a Western Conference clash that could shake up the standings and bettors’ slips alike. Tip-off is set for 10:30 p.m. ET at the brand-new Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. Key storylines • Playoff positioning: Denver (35-20) sits third in the West but just 1½ games behind Oklahoma City, while Los Angeles (26-28) clings to 10th and the final play-in spot. • Season series: The Nuggets have taken both prior meetings, winning 130-116 in L.A. and 122-109 in Denver; a sweep would lock up the tiebreaker. • Super-stars collide: Nikola Jokic (28.7 ppg, 12.3 rpg, 10.7 apg) continues a quiet MVP push, while Kawhi Leonard counters with 27.9 ppg on 49 % shooting. Injury report • Nuggets: Aaron Gordon (hamstring) and Peyton Watson (hamstring) remain out, trimming Denver’s forward depth. • Clippers: Bradley Beal (hip, out for season) and Darius Garland (toe) are sidelined, leaving more ball-handling duties to Leonard and Paul George. Betting odds & lines (as of Thursday afternoon) • Spread: Nuggets -4.5 • Moneyline: DEN -180 | LAC +150 • Total: 226.5 points Denver has covered four of its last five road games, while the Clippers are 5-2 ATS in their past seven overall. How to watch & stream • TV: Altitude Sports (DEN), FanDuel SN SoCal (LAC) • Streaming: NBA League Pass; authenticated cable apps • Radio: KKSE 92.5 FM (DEN), KLAC 570 AM (LAC) Matchup keys 1. Pace vs precision: The Nuggets average 28 assists a night, second in the league, and will try to pick apart L.A.’s switch-heavy defense. 2. Battle of the benches: Bones Hyland faces his former team, but Denver’s second unit led by Reggie Jackson and Christian Braun has been steadier. 3. Paint protection: Without Gordon, Denver must contain Ivica Zubac’s rim rolls while keeping Jokic out of foul trouble. Prediction Expect a playoff-style tempo early, but Jokic’s playmaking should eventually unlock open threes for Michael Porter Jr. and Jamal Murray. If Leonard doesn’t get a secondary scorer cooking, Denver’s depth and late-game execution give them a narrow cover. Nuggets 118, Clippers 111. SEO snippets to rank for: “Nuggets vs Clippers live stream,” “start time Nuggets Clippers,” “Jokic vs Leonard odds,” “Nuggets Clippers injury report,” “Intuit Dome NBA game.”