Run a poll, and the Denver Nuggets vs Los Angeles Clippers matchup stays on top for pure excitement. The first two games saw the teams contest in tight battles, with the Nuggets claiming Game 1 while the Clippers ‘Klawed’ back in Game 2 courtesy of a Kawhi Leonard shooting clinic. The game headed to the Intuit Dome for Game 3.
In the first game, Nikola Jokić showed why he’s the frontrunner for the MVP award, scoring 29 points, 12 assists, and nine rebounds. The game went overtime, and the Nuggets won by 112-110. There was nothing to separate them as the game swung from side to side.
In Game 2, Leonard showed why he’s probably the Top 3 player in the NBA when he’s fit and healthy. He scored 39 points with a ridiculous FG% of 78.9. In the game’s dying moments, he shot a brilliant three-pointer and stole the ball to cement the victory.
Game 3 promises to be a blockbuster, with both teams looking to go one game ahead.
Denver Nuggets vs. Los Angeles Clippers Box Score
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nuggets | 28 | 19 | 23 | 13 | 83 |
| Clippers | 35 | 30 | 25 | 27 | 117 |
Nuggets’ Player Stats
| Player | MIN | PTS | REB | AST | FG | 3PT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Porter Jr. | 35:04 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 2/9 | 1/6 |
| Aaron Gordan | 31:46 | 15 | 7 | 0 | 6/16 | 2/4 |
| Nikola Jokić | 36:31 | 23 | 13 | 13 | 9/14 | 2/3 |
| Christian Braun | 37:45 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 4/9 | 0/1 |
| Jamal Murray | 36:18 | 23 | 0 | 4 | 8/15 | 1/4 |
| Russell Westbrook | 08:42 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1/5 | 1/5 |
| Peyton Watson | 18:16 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1/4 | 0/0 |
| Jalen Pickett | 10:45 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/1 | 0/0 |
| DeAndre Jordan | 04:53 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 |
| Julian Strawther | 10:52 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0/1 | 0/0 |
| Hunter Tyson | 04:34 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/1 | 0/1 |
| Zeke Nnaji | 04:34 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0/2 | 0/2 |
| Dario Šarić | DNP | |||||
| DaRon Holmes II | DNP | |||||
| Vlatko Čančar | DNP |
Clippers’ Player Stats
| Player | MIN | PTS | REB | AST | FG | 3PT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norman Powell | 28:58 | 20 | 1 | 3 | 7/12 | 3/8 |
| Kawhi Leonard | 34:33 | 21 | 11 | 6 | 7/17 | 3/6 |
| Ivica Zubac | 33:26 | 19 | 9 | 1 | 8/12 | 0/0 |
| Kris Dunn | 21:37 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 2/5 | 2/4 |
| James Harden | 33:49 | 20 | 6 | 9 | 6/14 | 3/8 |
| Ben Simmons | 09:12 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0/2 | 0/0 |
| Nicolas Batum | 26:42 | 12 | 5 | 2 | 4/6 | 4/6 |
| Derrick Jones Jr. | 22:40 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 4/8 | 2/3 |
| Bogdan Bogdanović | 10:28 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1/3 | 0/2 |
| Kobe Brown | 03:43 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0/0 | 0/0 |
| Cam Christie | 03:43 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 |
| Patty Mills | 03:43 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1/2 | 1/1 |
| Drew Eubanks | 03:43 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0/1 | 0/0 |
| Jordan Miller | 03:43 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0/1 | 0/1 |
| Amir Coffey | DNP |
Nuggets vs. Clippers: Game Recap
Like the previous games, it started rapidly with both teams draining shots. Aaron Gordon, in particular, scored 4/4 and had 11 points before the first time out.
At 3:11, Jokić had a flashy pass to Jamal Murray, who went inside the lane and scored an easy bucket. But James Harden returned to tie the score with two back-to-back three-pointers as the game picked up pace.
But a 16-2 run at the end of the first quarter saw the Clippers take the lead to 35-28. Harden put on the scoring mantle tonight, scoring 13 points in the first quarter. The Clippers shot 69.2% from beyond the arc at the end of the 1st quarter.
At the start of the 2nd quarter, it became a 23-2 Clippers run, which blew the arena roof at the Intuit Dome as they led the game 42-28. Likewise, the Nuggets shot 50% from the charity stripe with the infamous ‘Wall’ at the Intuit Dome, doing their work with special horse masks to distract the Nuggets.
Likewise, the Clippers had four blocks to the Nuggets’ 0. Zubac has had an efficient game until now, scoring critical buckets and shutting down players in the paint. The Clippers came up well, as they had an 18-point lead at one point in the game. Harden’s drive to the rim caused problems for the Nuggets until the half.
Both teams did well restricting turnovers until the half. Moreover, the coaches focused on this issue, and the losers in both games had 20 turnovers. The Clippers took a 65-47 lead, with Harden leading the scoring table with 20 points and four assists. The Clippers went on a 26-4 first-half run, which ended the game for the Nuggets.
In the meantime, Jokić had nine points and eight assists. But the difference became the 2nd chance points for the Clippers with 13-4.
In the third quarter, Gordon, who had a sensational 4/4 shooting in the first half, missed 9 of his 10 shots at the start of the third quarter. The Nuggets had a better third quarter, starting strong with Murray scoring quick points for his team.
Norman Powell continued his scoring form with a solid three at 06:58, giving him 13 points. The Clippers took a lot of threes like the Nuggets, but they took good shots, which helped them drain those three-pointers. In the third quarter, reports emerged that Russell Westbrook suffered a left foot inflammation and became questionable about returning for the game.
In the meantime, Jokić created another record for 20 playoff TD3 (83 games—fastest all-time) during the third quarter. The game looked done and dusted in the third quarter, with the Clippers taking a 20-point lead.
The highlight of the 4th quarter happened when Leonard dribbled past Murray with a savvy handle and put the basketball with an and-one. Replays showed Kawhi using his strength to get to the basket, showing no regard for human life on his way to the basket. It brought the crowd to their feet, and the Clippers performed professionally to finish the game.
Coach Tyronn Lue also had a good match, winning two challenges he contested. Likewise, in the fourth quarter, we saw Jokić getting animated with assistant coach David Adelman after he took over the reins following Michael Malone’s termination.
Ultimately, the Clippers won the game 117-83, putting on an offensive clinic at the Intuit Dome. They had 10 more rebounds, six fewer turnovers, and five crucial blocks against the Nuggets. Scoring effectively with 48.2% on the board, they took home the victory.
Game 4 could now become imperative for the Nuggets to win, with the Clippers in the driving seat. Hopefully, a better FG% could help the team overcome the rampant Clippers.
