James Harden recorded 28 points, 8 assists, and 6 rebounds and the Los Angeles Clippers remained alive in their first-round series with the Denver Nuggets, winning 111-105 in Inglewood, California on on Thursday night, May 1 (Friday, May 2, Manila time)
Kawhi Leonard added 27 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists and Norman Powell scored 24 points as the Clippers evened the Western Conference matchup at three games apiece.
Ivica Zubac had 10 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 blocked shots for fifth-seeded Los Angeles.
“James did a great job setting the tone early, scoring the basketball and getting downhill and [making] the right play,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said.
“Norm made some big shots at the end and Kawhi was steady throughout the game. I thought those guys really stepped up and came ready to play.”
Nikola Jokic registered 25 points, 8 assists, 7 rebounds, and 3 steals for the fourth-seeded Denver. Jamal Murray had 21 points, 8 assists, and 8 rebounds and Aaron Gordon scored 19 points.
Game 7 is Saturday night, May 3, in Denver.
“They were quicker to the punch,” Murray said of the Clippers. “They played with a lot more desperation because their backs were against the wall. Give them credit. For the whole game, they brought it.”
The Nuggets trailed by 15 midway through the fourth quarter before getting back into the game with an 11-2 run.
A three-pointer by Gordon and a fastbreak layup by Murray brought Denver within 107-101 with 2:43 remaining.
But then Russell Westbrook missed a layup 30 seconds later. Powell made the Nuggets pay with a three-pointer to make it a nine-point advantage with 1:47 to play.
Gordon’s tip-in and two free throws by Christian Braun brought Denver within 110-105 with 58.5 seconds remaining.
Denver had a chance to move within three, but Zubac blocked Jokic’s close-range shot with 24.4 seconds left.
Leonard split two free throws with 18.8 seconds remaining for a six-point lead that held up as Murray and Gordon each missed three-pointers on the Nuggets’ final possession.
Westbrook had 14 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists and Braun also scored 14 points for Denver, which connected on 52.45 of its shots, including 11-of-27 from behind the arc.
The Clippers shot 50% from the field and made 12-of-39 from THREE-point range.
Denver trailed 68-66 after Murray’s basket with 8:11 left in the third quarter before going 4:43 without a point.
The Clippers took advantage with 12 consecutive points. Powell had half of them, including a layup to cap the spurt to make it 80-66.
“They sped us up. I thought we crossed half-court not being organized,” Nuggets interim coach David Adelman said. “When you do that, turnovers are going to follow. If you don’t take care of (the ball), you lose.”
Braun drained a THREE-pointer with 3:28 to go in the quarter to end the Nuggets’ drought. Denver got back within 90-79 on Jokic’s triple with 39 seconds left in the quarter.
The Clippers led 105-90 on a trey by Bogdan Bogdanovic with 5:57 left, before Denver made its frantic charge.
Harden scored 21 points in the first half as Los Angeles led 58-57 at the break. Jokic had 20 in the half for the Nuggets – Rappler.com