The Denver Nuggets have now won five consecutive games to improve to 8-2 on the season. Now, the Nuggets are gearing up to complete their second consecutive back-to-back series, as they travel to face the LA Clippers just one night after beating the Sacramento Kings.
The Nuggets cannot catch a break, as they just had a back-to-back over the weekend and are playing four games in six days. Still, they have the opportunity to extend their winning streak and assert their dominance against a challenging Western Conference foe.
Luckily for the Nuggets, who will be at a rest disadvantage, they are likely letting out a sigh of relief when they see the Clippers’ injury report for Wednesday’s game.
The Clippers have ruled out Kawhi Leonard (right ankle sprain) and Bradley Beal (left hip soreness) against the Nuggets.
Oct 12, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) points after the ref makes a call against the Denver Nuggets during the second quarter at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images | Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images
Nuggets gain huge advantage
With Leonard sidelined, the Clippers have been far from a competitive team. Leonard has missed LA’s last four consecutive games, and the Clippers are 0-4 in that stretch. With Leonard healthy, the Clippers were 3-3, but his absence has dropped them to 3-7 on the season, which is far from ideal for this star-studded LA team.
When active, Leonard has been incredible this season, averaging 24.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 2.5 steals per game with 50.5/40.0/96.3 shooting splits. Of course, the trick with Leonard has always been keeping him on the floor, which they are already struggling to do.
Beal’s absence may not be as impactful, but it is just as concerning. The Clippers brought in Beal this offseason to build a championship-caliber core, but this will also already be his fifth absence of the season. If the Clippers cannot stay healthy, then all of their big offseason moves are practically pointless.
Beal has been underwhelming to start his Clippers campaign, averaging just 8.2 points per game on 37.5% shooting from the field, but the three-time All-Star guard will not be able to find his rhythm while on the sideline.
Nov 6, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Bradley Beal (0) reacts against the Phoenix Suns in the first half at the Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Of course, with the Nuggets heading into the second night of a back-to-back, the Clippers can still attempt to catch them off guard and make the most of their rest advantage. However, they might not have the firepower to do so unless Denver decides to give some of their guys the night off for rest purposes.
The short-handed Clippers are set to host the red-hot Nuggets at 8:30 p.m. MT on Wednesday.
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