Clippers @ Nuggets

Who will WIN this matchup?

Los Angeles Clippers (27-12)

@ Denver Nuggets (26-12)

Current odds:

Los Angeles Clippers: (-120)

Denver Nuggets: (+100)

• The line for this game is Clippers by 1 point.

• Second place in the Western Conference is at stake Sunday when the Denver Nuggets host the Los Angeles Clippers, who will be without Paul George. The All-Star forward, who averages 23.5 points per game, is out with a hamstring injury as coach Doc Rivers told the media: “We’ll keep evaluating him and he’ll be back soon, I think.” George sustained the injury in practice Wednesday and missed Friday’s 109-100 victory over Golden State as Kawhi Leonard picked up the slack with 36 points for his third highest-scoring game of the season. Los Angeles got off to another slow start versus the Warriors, trailing 83-73 entering the fourth quarter. “There’s not a lot we can do about it today,” Rivers told reporters. “If we play like that in April or May, that will hurt us.”

• Denver was stunned at home by Cleveland 111-103 on Saturday and sits one-half game behind the Clippers. Nuggets center Nikola Jokic recorded 19 points and 12 rebounds against Cleveland after scoring a total of 80 points in his previous two contests.

• Leonard (team-high 25.6 points per game) was 14-for-25 from the field and played 38 minutes versus Golden State – the second-most he’s played in a game this season. Lou Williams (19.6 points) has averaged 24.8 over his last four contests while going 32-for-63 from the floor – raising his field goal percentage to 42.4. Montrezl Harrell (19.2 points, 7.4 rebounds) recorded his seventh double-double of the season Friday with 11 points and 10 boards after averaging 28.3 points in his previous three games.

• Jamal Murray scored 24 points Saturday and is averaging 23 points in five January games, raising his season number to 17.9. Will Barton returned Saturday after missing Wednesday’s 107-106 victory at Dallas to attend the funeral of his cousin, who was killed in Baltimore, and contributed 18 points and nine rebounds. Jokic averages 19.3 points, 9.7 rebounds and 6.4 assists, and shoots 51.2 percent from the floor.

• Denver F Paul Millsap has missed the last two games and four of the last eight because of a left knee contusion he sustained in a collision with Murray on Dec. 20.

• Los Angeles is the only team to have four players averaging at least 19 points.

• The Nuggets won three of four meetings last season with the two victories in Denver by a combined 48 points.