A season ago, despite trading Blake Griffin and dealing with numerous injuries to key players, the Clippers surprised bettors on a nightly basis, finishing 42-39-1 against the spread. Over the summer, the upstart Clippers improved their roster through health, getting Patrick Beverley back from a knee injury that cost him his season, and through the draft, using two first-round picks on guards to improve the depth at the position.

Now, they open their season at home as an underdog against one of the teams in the Western Conference expected to make a leap into the postseason, the Nuggets. It’s a squad that returns a core of players that finished 25th in defensive efficiency, posted a 37-42-3 ATS record last season and a paltry 15-26 SU mark on the road.

The Clippers are a disrespected underdog at home to open the year. With Beverley and Avery Bradley starting in the backcourt, and a scoring threat in the frontcourt in Tobias Harris, the Clippers will have more than enough to cover as a one-point ’dog and win the game outright against a poor road team.

The play: Clippers +1.