Denver Nuggets Amazing Win Over L.A. Clippers Series 2-2

If you have not been watching the Denver Nuggets and L.A. Clippers NBA Playoff Western Conference series, you are missing out on some exciting playoff basketball. Two of the three games played so far have been decided by three points or less. In game three, the Clippers outscored the Nuggets 117-83. The Clippers shot 48% from the field and 46% from three-point range. Nikola Jokic, star of the Nuggets, had a triple-double in that game, scoring 23 points, 13 rebounds and 13 assists. Even with that top performance, the Nuggets couldn’t get the win over the Clippers in game three.

On Saturday, the Denver Nuggets and the L.A. Clippers matched up for Game 4 at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. The Clippers lead the series 2-1 going into the game. James Harden scored 20 points on 6-for-14 shooting from the field and 3-for-8 from the three-point line and added nine assists in Game 3. Six Clipper players would score in double digits in that game. The Nuggets only had six points come from their bench. Can the Nuggets band together and get a win in Cali and get the series back even?

Denver Nuggets Ready To Battle

The Denver Nuggets came out in the first quarter on business and, after six minutes in the first quarter, led 15-6. Jokic would score nine points in the quarter, shooting three for four from the field and cashing one three-pointer. The L.A. Clippers would battle back in the first, Kawhi Leonard shooting 2-for-6 from the field and first the quarter with four points. Harden would end the quarter with three points, and at the end of the first, the Nuggets would lead the Clippers 27-22.

In the second quarter, the Clippers made a small run in the first four minutes, and after a three-pointer by Nicolas Batum, the score was tied at 31. Nuggets guard Jamal Murray struggled in the first half. In the second quarter, he shot 1-for-4 from the field and 0-for-2 from the three-point line. He would finish with four at the end of the quarter.

In the closing seconds of the first half, tempers flared up as Harden got into the face of Nuggets’ Christian Braun after a foul. After some pushing and shoving, officials gave technicals to Harden, Braun, Jokic, Kris Dunn, Norman Powell and Aaron Gordon. The Nuggets led 50-48 at halftime.

One To Remember

The Denver Nuggets led by seven in the third quarter after four minutes. Jokic let the horses loose in the third, scoring 16 points, shooting four for eight from the field and two for three from three-point land. After suffering a shoulder injury in the closing seconds of Game 3, Michael Porter Jr. would cash in two three-pointers; he would have eight in the quarter. Clippers guard Harden would have two points in the third, and Leonard would only score five. By the end of the third, the Clippers would be down 20, 85-65.

The L.A. Clippers were not going to lie down for the Nuggets. They would battle back into the lead, and after seven minutes in the fourth, they got the lead down to 10 with a Powell three-pointer. Powell would go 3-for-3 in the fourth quarter; his efforts would get the lead down to one. Leonard would add in 10 points in the final quarter, shooting 4-for-5. With a minute left, Clippers player Bogdan Bogdanovic would give the Clippers the lead by one. Jokic would get fouled and only make one of the two free throws, tying the game at 97.

The Clippers would get a tip-in from Ivica Zubac to tie the game at 99. Then Gordon would put in a two-pointer after an offensive rebound from a bad Jokic shot, to win the game 101-99. The Denver Nuggets tied the series 2-2. The Clippers outscored the Nuggets 34-16 in the fourth quarter. The Clippers shot 44% from the field and 33% from the three-point line, while the Nuggets shot 46% from the field and 34% from three-point range. Another exciting game from these teams in this series, which looks to be on the verge of going to seven games.

Final Thoughts

This series is the definition of NBA Playoff basketball. These two teams have played tooth and nail in every game. No lead is safe, and you have no idea which superstar or role player could go off in these games. Ups, downs, oohhs and aahs have come with this series, tied 2-2, it’s still any team’s series to win. Russell Westbrook didn’t play. The Nuggets will be looking to have him back on the court. The next game will be on Tuesday, and we will be back in Denver.