In a decent and contentious opening act – that includes the singular greatness of Denver’s Nikola Jokic and the two-headed starpower of Los Angeles’ James Harden and Kawhi Leonard – that deserved additional air time; went into additional time and noticed the Nuggets pull out a tough fought Recreation 1 win. Jokic’s teammates had been instrumental in wresting the lead away from LA and holding on for expensive life to the top. A lot-maligned Russell Westbrook prompted a Clipper turnover, and the MVP’s free throws secured the 112-110 consequence.
Within the final 5 minutes of the sport, Denver claimed over a half-dozen key offensive rebounds to increase numerous possessions. Within the ultimate minute of regulation, Murray knocked the ball off of Leonard to trigger a turnover, and Westbrook hit an open nook three, which had the prospect to face because the game-winner. However Harden willed a floater house to tie the sport at 98, and Westbrook squandered an opportunity to get his staff a game-winning alternative.
The Clippers’ veteran duo of Harden (32 factors, 11 assists, and 6 rebounds) and Leonard (22 factors, 6 rebounds, and three steals) carried the staff’s offense in each halves, whereas they obtained welcome secondary scoring from Ivica Zubac (21 factors and 13 rebounds) and Kris Dunn (10 factors)
Denver’s Jokic (29 factors, 12 rebounds, 9 assists, and three steals), whereas defended nicely by Zubac, nonetheless discovered his spots within the second half. Operating-mate Jamal Murray (21 factors, 9 rebounds, and seven assists) had an inefficient effort, however the Nuggets obtained spirited efforts within the second half and past from Aaron Gordon (25 factors and eight rebounds) and Westbrook (15 factors and eight rebounds), who made a ton of crunch-time performs at each ends.
The Clippers stormed out of the sport getting any method of shot that they wished. Zubac cleaned up at and across the basket for eight early factors and was an environment friendly fulcrum to maneuver the ball back and forth and high to backside. Denver needed to earn extra of their factors from the free throw line to maintain up. Harden, after a pleasant begin, chucked out a handful of bricks, and the Nuggets’ smalls took benefit on the different finish to erase that benefit. Harden’s pair of stepback threes stemmed the tide and LA left the primary up 35-27.
The software program inside Leonard turned on and he put up a fast dozen within the second quarter, whereas Denver continued to wrestle to seek out any secondary contributions past Jokic. Although it appeared like LA would run away with the result a number of instances by way of the second, the Nuggets started to get after and corral unfastened balls, discovered simply sufficient area targets from the non-Jokic gamers, and distracted Zubac sufficient within the paint to trigger needed misses. Denver received inside 49-53 going into the break.
Dunn continued to offer shocking offense to start out the third interval. Jokic pivoted and grinded his manner into a number of area targets to maintain the Clippers from pulling away. Denver received as shut as two, however the Clippers created some wiggle room because the Nuggets continued to wrestle within the halfcourt. Jokic’s dozen factors helped get Denver again to inside three 72-75.
Observations
The colour distinction – pink (Clippers) / blue (Nuggets) was nice.
Simply love that Jokic by no means appears to be bothered or pressured to go at a special tempo.
Pretty much as good of a shooter Bogdan Bogdanovic has been, he appeared ineffective on the market defending on the perimeter.
Sequence of the Recreation: Utilizing Kris Dunn because the baseline cutter, the Clippers ran a excessive/low set utilizing Zubac because the post-feeder to get Dunn a number of simple buckets within the first quarter.
Jokic Sequence of the Recreation: Within the ultimate moments of the third quarter, the Joker anticipated a foul cross from Bogdanovic and ‘outran’ two Clippers down the courtroom for a stunning (by his requirements) lay-up.
Is that Nic Batum or 2013 Boris Diaw on the market?
2020s Jokic and Zubac = 2010s Duncan and Marc Gasol?
Recreation Rundown
Jokic laced a cross-court cross to Michael Porter, Jr. for a 3, and hit certainly one of his personal shortly after. Zubac went proper again at him on the opposite finish to get two fast baskets. Harden tried to lure (unsuccessfully) Murray right into a foul at one finish, and Murray hit a clock-beating three on the different finish over the bearded one. Whereas the skin photographs for Denver fell quick, LA’s makes an attempt had been correct. The one setback LA encountered was Harden’s second foul. He stayed within the recreation and his and-1 put the Clippers up ten. With Peyton Watson and Christian Braun pushing the tempo, Denver mounted a 10-0 run to tighten the hole. Harden hit two spectacular threes to make it an 8-point Clipper lead.
Leonard took over the bucket-getting tasks initially of the second interval, and LA went up two touchdowns. Once more, the one factor that stopped a scorching Clipper was foul bother with Leonard getting two. Denver continued to wrestle from outdoors the arc., and Leonard received to his twelfth level of the quarter earlier than the Nuggets received to theirs. In homage to WWE, Zubac and Jokic picked up offensive fouls in consecutive possessions. Harden picked up his third foul, and Braun took his second steal and threw down a dunk to convey the Nuggets inside 9. Bob Myers famous “this comeback has been fueled by effort.” Jokic whacked Norm Powell on the arm to get HIS third foul. Jokic then discovered Russell Westbrook within the nook for a 3. Regardless of all the offensive success that LA had, they had been separated from Denver by solely 4 factors on the half.
Aaron Gordon began the Nuggets’ scoring within the third quarter whereas Harden hit a transition three earlier than getting his fourth foul making an attempt to disclaim Gordon positioning. Jokic appeared to get the message that Denver probably wanted a 40-point recreation from him and hit two early buckets. The groups liberally traded baskets over the center a part of the body. A herky-jerky and-1 and nifty lay-in from Murray drew Denver inside two. The Clippers doubled Jokic from the weak facet to create some deflections and disrupt a number of possessions. Possession given to the Clippers was challenged and overturned within the final minute of the third and Jokic’s fast-break lay-up made it a 75-72 recreation heading into the fourth.
