Winners of their last seven home games, the Clippers started the match strong. James Harden is in the oven and in the mill while Norman Powell (28 points) and Amir Coffey (13 points), coming off the bench, ensure the scoring. It takes a crazy quarter from Nikola Jokic to limit the damage (32-23).
Jamal Murray (18 points, 7 assists) and Michael Porter Jr. (18 points, 7 rebounds) come to the aid of the triple MVP to start the second quarter. The trio inflicts a 16-2 on the Clippers to completely reverse the trend (46-43)! It takes all of James Harden's talent to stop the bleeding and allow Los Angeles to return to the locker room tied (59-59).
As the Clippers' defense adjusts against Nikola Jokic, the Serbian turns into a caviar distributor. Michael Porter Jr. and Peyton Watson (13 points) then took advantage to put Denver at +10 (80-70). Norman Powell and James Harden then take their responsibilities. The pair scored six penalty shots in the final four minutes of the third period as the Nuggets' skill dissipated. It was finally a mid-range shot from Terance Mann (15 points) on an assist from Nicolas Batum which even put the Clippers ahead in the score (92-90).
The two players as well as Mo Bamba then insisted on increasing the gap to +7 (105-98). The skill of Julian Strawther (15 points) and the intensity of Russell Westbrook (9 points, 8 assists) keep Denver in ambush (113-112) but the “money time” nevertheless belongs to the Clippers. Norman Powell goes for five free throws, James Harden hits the mark from mid-distance, and Terance Mann scores from 3-points to make the break (123-116).
Jamal Murray and Christian Braun, however, give the Nuggets one last hope. A loose ball from James Harden gives them a chance to equalize but Tyronn Lue asks his players to foul to prevent a 3-pointer from the Nuggets. Nikola Jokic then made a 1 of 2 free throws, and James Harden took advantage on the other side to validate the victory for Los Angeles.
WHAT TO REMEMBER
– James Harden’s masterclass. The Intuit Dome in Los Angeles looked like the Toyota Center in Houston a few years ago, as James Harden put in a great performance last night against the Nuggets. The bearded man finished on the verge of a triple double and left his mark on the match from start to finish. He finished the first quarter with 8 points and 4 assists to set the tone. He added 8 points in the second quarter to break the Nuggets' momentum. He was instrumental with 14 points in the third quarter to keep his team alive and reverse the trend. And finally, if he was clumsy in the last period (9 points, 1/7 on shots), he was perfect on the throw line (7/7), and distributed 4 assists to validate this victory.
– Denver not dangerous enough away. The Nuggets outrageously dominated the battle of the racket (66-40), but lost the war. The Clippers had decided to shut down Denver's outside play and give them the rim. The Nuggets only attempted 24 3-point shots, compared to 39 for Los Angeles, and 8 fewer successes. Mike Malone's men are taking just 32 3-pointers per game this season, the 28th total in the league.
– The Intuit Dome, an arena that has become impregnable. The Clippers started their season with four straight home losses against Phoenix twice, Portland and Oklahoma City. This last defeat dates from November 2. Since then, Ty Lue's men have transformed their new hall into a fortress. Last night, they scored an 8th victory in a row at home. This series was shaped in large part by their defense.
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How to read the stats? Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive rebound; T = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = Point differential when the player is on the field; Pts = Points; Eval: player evaluation calculated from positive actions – negative actions.
