Paul George scored 28 points, while James Harden joined an elusive company, as the Los Angeles Clippers came back from 17 points down to nip Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets, 102-100.
Paul George (28 PTS, 3 STL) and James Harden (20 PTS, 6 REB, 8 AST) help lead the @LAClippers to victory at home!
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) April 5, 2024
Zubac: 14 PTS | 15 REB
Westbrook: 12 PTS | 6 REB | 5 AST pic.twitter.com/hZ3vLp7w45
George added four assists and three steals in 36 minutes of action as the Clippers bounced back for their first home since March 9.
After holding a 90-79 lead with eight minutes left in regulation, the Clippers’ advantage was trimmed down to a single point, 98-97, after a pair of Jokic free throws with 1:46 ticks left.
This was before Nuggets coach Michael Malone got ejected after receiving his second technical foul in the fourth.
2 quick technical fouls and Michael Malone has been ejected 😤
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) April 5, 2024
(via @TomerAzarly) pic.twitter.com/2fYAjF2VFB
The reigning Finals MVP then nailed a triple at the top of the arc as the Nuggets closed in, 102-100 with 56 seconds left.
Jokic (36 PTS) cuts the deficit to 2 with 33 seconds left in the 4th quarter!
DEN-LAC on TNT pic.twitter.com/fAH3z8r6Af
— NBA (@NBA) April 5, 2024
Denver actually had two chances to send the game to overtime or win. Aaron Gordon drove to the rim but stumbled that led to a crucial turnover.
One possession later, Jokic launched a three-pointer in the right wing, but went sideways as the Clippers held on late.
Crazy that whenever Jokic puts it up now you think it’s going in. What a great game! Let’s see if they match up in the postseason 👀 pic.twitter.com/f600HZIGMd
— Mos (@mosballin) April 5, 2024
Harden finished with a 20-6-8 statline and joined Russell Westbrook, Oscar Robertson, and LeBron James as the only NBA players with 25K points, 7K assists, and 6K rebounds in their careers.
Elite company 👀
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) April 5, 2024
James Harden joins Russell Westbrook, Oscar Robertson, and LeBron James in the 25K points, 7K assists, and 6K rebounds club. pic.twitter.com/1fH2IcjRds
The Clippers shrugged off a horrible opening quarter - in which they trailed early at 25-8 - with a huge second-quarter response and outscored the Nuggets, 33-18.
Meanwhile, Jokic finished with 36 points, 17 rebounds, and 10 assists on the night he surpassed 14,000 career points. Gordon added 18 while Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had 16.
Denver actually raced to a hot start, going up as much as 17 points in the opening frame, 25-8, after a Jokic basket.
The Joker ended the opening half with 20 points, nine rebounds, and four assists already but scored just four points in the third.
The Joker bullies his way for the and-1 🔥 pic.twitter.com/CPd8r8ZXUq
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) April 5, 2024
The Nuggets played without Jamal Murray who missed the past six games with right knee inflammation.
With the win, the Clippers (48-28) strengthened their hold for the fourth spot in the West with two games ahead of the fifth-ranked Dallas Mavericks (46-30).
The loss kept Denver (53-24) in second place behind the Minnesota Timberwolves (53-23), their sights on the West’s top seed in taking a huge bump.
