Nikola Jokic, Nuggets Beat Clippers in Kawhi Leonard’s Return from Harm

A masterful efficiency from center Nikola Jokic propelled the Denver Nuggets to their fifth straight discover en path to defeating the host Los Angeles Clippers 110-104 in Staples Heart on Saturday.

Jokic scored 18 of his game-high 30 functions (9-of-17 taking pictures) within the third quarter and added 14 rebounds and 7 assists. Michael Porter Jr. (25 functions) and PJ Dozier (16 functions) complemented Jokic’s scoring.

The Clippers welcomed aid two-time NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard, who missed 5 straight video games with appropriate foot soreness. He had 16 functions on 7-of-12 taking pictures and 6 assists. Paul George paced L.A. with 20 functions but shot simply 5-of-21 from the field. Rajon Rondo (18 functions, 5 rebounds, 5 assists) and DeMarcus Cousins (16 functions) shone off the bench.

Denver, which moved to 43-21, has won 5 straight video games and nine of 10 to transfer a half of-game forward of the 43-22 Clippers for third situation within the Western Conference. L.A. has misplaced three straight video games.

Valuable Performances

Denver C Nikola Jokic: 30 functions, 14 rebounds, 7 assists

Denver F Michael Porter Jr.: 25 functions, 7 rebounds, 5 assists

Denver G PJ Dozier: 16 functions, 5 rebounds

Los Angeles F Paul George: 20 functions, 7 rebounds

Los Angeles F Kawhi Leonard: 16 functions, 6 assists, 5 rebounds

Los Angeles G Rajon Rondo: 18 functions, 5 rebounds, 5 assists

Jokic Crushes Clippers

The NBA MVP candidate is carrying a heavy weight on his shoulders after level guard Jamal Murray suffered a torn ACL that in attain ended his season.

By some skill, Jokic is meeting that field after which some as the nightly triple-double threat continues to dominate somebody who crosses his path on the basketball court.

Jokic produced yet another highlight-reel efficiency Saturday.

Relish many other low-submit defenders, Clippers center Ivica Zubac had danger staying in front of Jokic, who spun and blew by him on this transfer:

Relish continuously, he acquired his teammates eager, discovering Porter on a pleasant decrease to the ring:

Jokic’s pinpoint passing accuracy ended in this easy Aaron Gordon dunk:

But Jokic’s scoring guided Denver to victory on a evening the place offense was onerous to approach aid by at instances.

He bullied his design into the lane for his 40th dunk of the season:

He went aid to the streak transfer en path to a hook shot over Zubac:

Jokic’s skill to stretch the defense (coupled with some wretched Clippers communique) ended in this easy dunk:

But now not everything came truly easy, and Jokic went aid to work within the submit, the place he excelled as soon as more:

Chris Herring of Sports actions Illustrated requested a truly grand ask:

Broken-down Nuggets astronomical Alex English and Slash Kosmider of The Athletic gave their MVP seals of approval:

Private accolades apart, Jokic’s performances were so astronomical that Denver has remained a genuine Western Conference title threat despite shedding a snatch sharpshooter and floor general in Murray, who was averaging a profession-high 21.2 functions per game earlier than struggling his knee wretchedness on April 12.

Denver has by some skill long previous 9-1 since then.

It is conceivable the lack of Murray, who was an essential snatch performer in final year’s playoffs, is simply too powerful to overcome en path to a deep playoff drag. Nonetheless, anything else seems conceivable appropriate now with Jokic, who’s destroying everything in his path.

Clippers’ Comeback Falls Short

Leonard’s return began with the Clips rudely welcoming Denver into town with a game-opening 18-7 drag. It looked love the Clippers would cruise to a straightforward home discover in opposition to L.A., but there was masses of game left, and Jokic and the Nuggets regrouped.

Denver took an early 12-level lead within the fourth quarter, but L.A. chipped away starting up with this three-pointer from Terance Mann following very just appropriate ball movement.

But it was Rondo who nearly single-handedly kept the Clippers within the sport.

The 15-year historical scored nine fourth-quarter functions, together with all seven in a 7-2 Clippers drag that pulled L.A. aid into the sport.

He additionally delivered this go to Cousins for a huge bucket to decrease the Denver lead to 95-89:

Rondo came through on defense too, contributing a snatch utter and finishing on the opposite kill to slash the Nuggets’ lead to 101-98.

But that is as terminate as L.A. would get.

The Clippers had been arguably on the irascible kill of a difficult name when Cousins was called for a pass on Jokic, who looked to provoke contact with 1: 46 final within the fourth quarter and his staff up three.

“Here’s a execrable pass name,” Mo Dakhil of Bleacher Document tweeted. “Jokic initiates the full contact right here, there is nothing Cousins can enact. The pass called on the next play was the finest name to me, but this one is solely rubbish.”

The pass in ask took place with the shot clock winding down and Denver exhibiting to win small probability to pick up in a desperate field.

Six seconds later, Cousins fouled Jokic from within the aid of the three-level line on a shot try, and the massive man responded with three made free throws for a six-level edge.

The Clips later decrease the lead to 108-104 after a Cousins three-pointer with 35.7 seconds left, but two Facundo Campazzo free throws and a missed three from George effectively ended the sport.

Credit rating to the Clippers for stopping within the fourth quarter and virtually pulling off the comeback, but Jokic and the crimson-sizzling Nuggets had been simply too tough on this evening.

What’s Subsequent?

L.A. will host the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET. Denver will terminate on the town to face the Lakers on Monday at 10 p.m.