Gary A. Vasquez / USA TODAY Sports
Game Recap: Denver Nuggets Defeat LA Clippers 103-100
Without Paul George, wins will be hard to come by for the LA Clippers. Against a Denver Nuggets team that's led by the reigning MVP, that was always going to be the case. That said, the Clippers gave themselves a chance to win, but just couldn't come through down the stretch.
Nikola Jokic, while uncharacteristically inefficient from the field, finished with 26 points, 22 rebounds, and 8 assists. He dictates everything the Nuggets do, and this game was no different. Finding him a consistent second option has been a struggle for the Nuggets this season, with all the injuries they have dealt with, but Denver got contributions from several players in this game.
Will Barton had 17 points, Davon Reed added 15 off the bench, and Austin Rivers and Monte Morris each had 12. No other Denver players scored in double figures, but in a low scoring game, it was enough to grab the win. After the game, Ty Lue credited the Nuggets' bench with keeping their team alive while Jokic rested.
The Clippers' leading scorers in this game were Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Boston Jr., who each had 18 points. Boston Jr. had a chance to tie the game at the end, and while he was unable to get a clean shot off, his offense helped carry the Clippers throughout the game. While Paul George is out, the Clippers likely expect to get big production from Luke Kennard, but he was unfortunately in foul trouble in this game. He did hit a big three late in the game, but Ty Lue said postgame that the team missed his offense in this game.
The Clippers also got a very solid game from Ivica Zubac, who finished with 17 points and 11 rebounds. The Clippers used Zubac along with a help defender against Jokic during this game, and despite Jokic's big stat line, Zubac forced several misses throughout the course of the game.
With the loss, the Clippers fall to 17-16, but still remain in the 5th spot in the Western Conference. The Nuggets pull within a half game behind the Clippers in the standings with this win, and will certainly look to surpass them while the Clippers are playing without their two star players.
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