Clippers vs Nuggets: LA Clippers Keep the Series Alive And Force a Winner-Take-All Game in Denver

The Los Angeles Clippers extended the first-round playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 111-105 victory on Thursday night at Intuit Dome. The Clippers now forced Game 7 in Denver for a classic finish. It was a well-improved and a collective team effort from the LA Clippers, who entered the fixture with a 3-2 deficit.

Three starters from the Clippers recorded at least 24 points. James Harden scored 28 points, 8 assists and 6 rebounds. Kawhi Leonard added a double-double with 27 points and 10 rebounds while Norman Powell chipped in 24, including 2 steals. Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray combined to score 46 points. Each had 8 assists and 7 rebounds as five players recorded in double figures for the Nuggets.

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Clippers Push the Game in Second Half and Hold Nerves in Clutch Time

The Clippers held a 58-57 lead at halftime, and Harden led all scorers with 21 points on 70% shooting. Leonard scored all eight points in his team’s 8-0 run in the first two minutes of the third quarter. The early surge helped the Clippers to take an 11-point lead heading to the fourth quarter, courtesy of a 20-7 run.

The Nuggets responded in the fourth with an 11-2 run to cut the Clippers’ deficit to six points. Normal Powell hit a 3-pointer with less than two minutes left. Batum’s clutch play helped Los Angeles to stretch their lead to 110-101. Leonard missed two free throws with 18 seconds left, but it couldn’t help Denver. Jamal Murray missed a three-point jumper, and Batum blocked Gordon’s 3-point pull-up shot to deny Denver to force overtime.

Jamal Murray scored 21 points for the Nuggets, who lost a potential series-clinching playoff game for the third time in four tries over the past two seasons since their 2023 championship run. Denver also blew a 3-2 series lead over Minnesota in the second round last season.

Ivica Zubac and Nicolas Batum played a big role in holding Nikola Jokic in the third quarter. The three-time MVP couldn’t score for 11 minutes in the period and shot 2-for-9 in the second half. Jokic scored 25 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. Westbrook missed a crucial layup shot in the final phase of the game but contributed a double-double off the bench.

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Denver lost a potential series-clinching playoff game for the third time in four attempts since their championship triumph in 2023. Last year, they even lost a playoff series against the Timberwolves after taking a 3-2 lead. More importantly, Saturday’s matchup would be a tough task for the Nuggets as they haven’t won a Game 7 since 2020, when they defeated the Clippers in the conference semifinals.

Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images