The Los Angeles Clippers are at home to take on defending champions the Nuggets. Facing the Clippers, who swallowed an eight-game losing streak in Denver, they aim to be strong in this campaign. As the team's assist leader, James Harden's tacit understanding with his teammates is being established. As Harden's form has picked up, the Clippers' record has also improved.
Jokic, who averaged 29 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists per game, is the leader of the Nuggets. Jokic, who leads the team in scoring, rebounding, and assists, is arguably the hardest player in Denver to limit. In this game, the two teams launched a fierce duel.
Harden 20 11, Jokic lost, Clippers reverse Nuggets!Little Ka George scored 42 points, and Wei Shao was efficient
At the beginning of the first quarter, Jokic, Murray, and Pope made difficulties on the outside one after another, and the Nuggets made 4 long-range shots after the opening. Harden teamed up with Zubac and Mann to score inside and also colored. Gordon scored back-to-back baskets, Porter scored points from the outside, and the Nuggets got off to a perfect start of 19-6. Small, Wei Shao hit the basket to score, Gordon dunked, and Porter scored from mid-range.
Xiaoka and Jokic collided, Wei Shao teamed up with George to make a mid-to-long-range attack, Porter hit two long-range shots, Reggie Jackson made a challenge from the outside, and the Nuggets rained three-pointers to expand the difference to 15 points. Powell hit two free throws, Braun dunked, and the two teams ended the first quarter. Denver was 8-of-10 from 3-pointers in the quarter, and the Clippers were 1-of-10 from 3-pointers, giving Denver a 36-21 lead.
In the second quarter of the competition, Taysley scored 8 points in a row to stop the opponent, Harden and Murray each assisted their teammates to score, Powell hit a long-range shot, Harden hit 2+1, and the Clippers scored consecutive points. Harden delivered back-to-back assists, Powell scored four more points with free throws, George hit two free throws, and Brown hit a long-range shot to tie the score.
Reggie Jackson scored with a free throw to help the Nuggets break the deadlock. George hit a long-range shot, and the Clippers took the lead. Jokic missed consecutive singles, and Harden and Powell led the team to a 12-0 offensive run. Jokic hit a strong shot in the restricted area to end a streak of nine missed shots. Harden scored four points on consecutive free throws, and Murray scored five points in return. At halftime, the Clippers were 61-57 ahead, and the Nuggets trailed 21-40 in the first quarter.
In the rematch, Jokic and Zubac each scored 4 points in the restricted area, George and Murray each had a single hit, George dunked, Porter scored 5 points with free throws, Murray scored a high jumper, the Nuggets played a 7-0 offensive run, and Tyronn Lue asked for a timeout. Xiaoka and Murray shot long-range shots, Murray and Zubac each scored in the restricted area, Harden hit a single, and Porter dunked back to color. George hit a three-pointer, Jr. followed up with a layup to score points, and Mike Malone called a timeout. The Nuggets bench scored four straight points to put the Clippers up 79-82 at the end of the third quarter.
In the final quarter, Wei Shao scored 5 points in a row under the basket, and Reggie Jackson responded with a three-pointer. Jordan Jr. dunked violently, and George responded with 2 long-range shots. Watson blocked George's layup, Westbrook sent a big hat, and Braun and Powell each hit layups. Jokic hit 2 free throws, the Clippers made consecutive turnovers, and Harden hit a three-pointer to stabilize the situation. Jokic assisted on Gordon's dunk, and the small card threw and scored. Harden steals Murray and then assists on a small card dunk, and the Clippers go on a 7-2 offensive run, and Malone calls a timeout.
Jokic scored four straight points under the basket, Harden hit a single, and the small card responded with a low-post jumper. Zubac blocked Jokic with a big hat, and Jokic singled three without sticking. The small card missed the jumper, Pope hit the iron from the outside, and Zubac grabbed the rebound and was fouled. Zubac hit two free throws with just 45 seconds left to seal the win with the Clippers leading by eight points. Malone asked for a timeout again, Murray hit an iron from the outside, and Harden hit 2 free throws. The Nuggets continued their timeout, Murray scored on a layup, and Tyronn Lue called a timeout. George made two free throws and Murray scored from distance. Powell made two free throws to give the Clippers a 111-102 win and a 15-point comeback.
Both team stats: For the Clippers, James Harden recorded a double-double of 20 points, 1 rebound, 11 assists and 3 steals. With 11 points and 8 assists in the first half, he led the team to set off a scoring frenzy in the second quarter and was the hero of the team's victory. With a 50% shooting rate, he had 17 points, 4 boards, 5 assists and 1 steal, and George had 25 points, 8 rebounds and 1 assist (shooting a game-high 5 3-pointers), and George Jr. combined to score 42 points. Wei Shao was 4-of-8 from the field and finished with 9 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist and 2 blocks. Wei Shao was efficient and made outstanding contributions on both ends of the floor and rebounding. Theis had 8 points and 11 rebounds, Powell had 17 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists from the bench, and Zubac had 10 points, 9 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 block, and delivered a key block in the final quarter.
As for the Nuggets, the star of the house, Jokic, has been sluggish. Jokic shot 9-of-32, 2-of-7 from three-point range and 2-of-2 from the free-throw line, and had a triple-double of 22 points, 15 boards, 10 assists and 1 steal, a game-high four turnovers. Jokic shot just 28 percent from the field and missed nine consecutive shots in the second quarter. Murray had 23 points and six assists, and Porter had 18 points and nine rebounds.