After two highly competitive games to open their first-round series, the Los Angeles Clippers delivered a staggering blow to the Denver Nuggets in Game 3.
But Thursday’s 117-83 trouncing only counts as one victory, so the Nuggets can tie the series at two games apiece when the best-of-seven Western Conference matchup continues with Saturday’s Game 4 in Inglewood, Calif.
“It ain’t over because we had a blowout,” Los Angeles coach Tyronn Lue said. “We got to come and validate that.”
The two games in Denver were decided by five total points. Game 1 was decided in overtime and Game 2 wasn’t done until the Nuggets missed two 3-pointers in the final seconds.
But the first playoff game at the new Intuit Dome belonged to the Clippers. Denver opened up an early seven-point lead before Los Angeles went on a 23-2 rampage. After that, the only suspense was how big the final margin would become. The 34-point differential at the buzzer doubled as the Clippers’ biggest lead of the night.
“The first two games were very competitive. This game was not,” interim Nuggets coach David Adelman said after Game 3. “But you can come back Saturday and you can right a lot of wrongs.”
Kawhi Leonard continued his fine series for the Clippers by recording 21 points, 11 rebounds and six assists. He is averaging 27.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.7 steals.
Leonard also is shooting 60.8 percent from the field, including 8 of 16 from 3-point range.
He received plenty of help in Game 3. James Harden had 20 points, nine assists and six rebounds, Norman Powell also scored 20 and Ivica Zubac registered 19 points and nine rebounds as Los Angeles won its second straight game.
“Everybody contributed. It was a great game for us all,” Leonard said. “Denver’s a great team. They’ve been here before. We got to still stay focused and play together and come out with a great mindset Saturday.”
The Nuggets didn’t seem to possess many answers in Thursday’s one-sided affair.
But Denver’s Christian Braun can’t wait for Saturday’s contest to arrive.
“We’ll be ready,” Braun said. “We just got punched in the mouth and you have to respond. You can’t roll over. You can’t complain. I wish the game was earlier. I wish we could respond earlier.”
Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic has recorded back-to-back triple-doubles to raise his career postseason count to 20 and is averaging 26 points, 11.7 assists and 11 rebounds in the series. He had 23 points, 13 rebounds and 13 assists on Thursday.
Denver also is ailing as the status of guard Russell Westbrook (left foot inflammation) and forward Michael Porter Jr. (left shoulder sprain) remains in doubt. Both are listed as questionable for Saturday.
Westbrook exited in the second quarter on Thursday while Porter played through intense pain after being injured in Game 2. Porter had just seven points on 2-of-9 shooting.
“They say it’s normally a four-, five-week injury,” Porter said. “I mean, you use your shoulder for everything. It was tough to rebound. Tough to bring it up to shoot. It was probably like 20-30 percent.”
Denver struggled offensively as the 83 points were the club’s lowest output of the season. The Nuggets committed 16 turnovers and were just 7 of 26 from 3-point range.
“We need to settle down and not turn it over,” said Denver guard Jamal Murray, who scored 23 points in Game 3. “We need to let things happen and trust each other. … I think there is a lot of stuff that we can be better at.”
Come Saturday, though, the Clippers will be looking to further their control of the series.
“Killer mentality, protect home court,” Harden said. “We did what we’re supposed to do. We’ll be ready for Game 4. It’s a big game for us.”
–Field Level Media
