Still deprived of Kawhi Leonard, the Clippers won their first victory of the season on the Denver floor after a successful performance. It was necessary to overcome a Nikola Jokic who was more determined than ever (41 points), but Tyronn Lue's troops were able to keep a cool head until the end to win.
The Nuggets' good start to the match was quickly overshadowed by the gradual rise of the Clippers. James Harden first made sure to feed everyone with 7 assists before completing the first act with 7 points including a 3-pointer (19-27).
Opposite, Denver's attack continued to suffer, like its 1/15 shooting to resume the second quarter. Inevitably, Los Angeles took the opportunity to widen the gap, notably with a 14-0 lead mainly fueled by Ivica Zubac (24-42). The locals' burst of pride came on a 3/3 3-pointer from the Murray-Gordon-Jokic trio, who launched a stunning 14-2, in order to come back to six lengths at the break (42-48).
It was a completely different match that began then, especially after the equalizer at 59-59 from a still untenable Nikola Jokic. Julian Strawther and Christian Braun provided valuable relays to allow the Nuggets to take the lead 12 minutes from the end (71-70).
Denver then held on until the return of Nikola Jokic, who signed his entry into play with an aerial serve for the finish of Aaron Gordon and three 3-point arrows to bring the score to 87-80. The match could have changed at that moment, but the Clippers found the resources to come back and get back in front in their turn.
Norman Powell pulled out all the stops by making three 3-point baskets to tie the score at 103-103 and respond to Nikola Jokic's 7th outside basket, his career record. In the final, it was all of James Harden's experience that took over.
His 4/4 throwing put Denver under pressure. Nikola Jokic left one lying around on the way, and was punished by the MVP of the match, Norman Powell, author of the two shots to win for a 109-104 success.
WHAT TO REMEMBER
– A record evening for Nikola Jokic. The Nuggets pivot may seem a little out of shape, but his performance in this match demonstrates all his involvement and determination. It was a close call for him to be the hero of the match, with his resounding comeback at the end of the match and his 3-pointers which continued to rain down on the opposing defense. There were 7 in the end, out of 12 attempts. This is his new career record, a small consolation on a night of defeat.
– A complementary trio. The Clippers rebalanced responsibilities in the absence of Kawhi Leonard and the plan worked perfectly in this match, with a high-level Harden-Powell-Zubac trio. Each brought their own style, creation for James Harden, rebounding for Ivica Zubac and scoring for Norman Powell. An explosive cocktail which ended up getting the better of the Nuggets.
– The missed reunion of Russell Westbrook. The new leader of the Nuggets did not really shine for his reunion with the Clippers, where he had relaunched since February 2023. Russell Westbrook especially suffered in attack, standing out with an airball at the start of the match, to finish 2 points at 0/8 shooting, 2 assists, 2 steals and a +/- of -13 in 19 minutes, the worst on the team.
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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.
