Jokic’s 32 not enough as Nuggets lose Game 3, 113-107
Despite being listed as questionable prior to tip-off, Denver Nuggets star center Nikola Jokic was active as Denver looked to take a 2-1 series lead over the Los Angeles Clippers.
Both teams came out of the gate red-hot as each team opened the first quarter shooting 8-11 from the field, yet the Denver Nuggets were leading by one (19-18) when they took the first timeout of the game.
Despite his injury, Nikola Jokic put together a phenomenal first quarter, scoring 10 points, corralling seven rebounds and dishing out five assists as the Nuggets trailed by one (33-32) heading into the second.
Denver began the second on a 9-3 run, taking what was then their largest lead of the game (41-36) before the Clippers took a timeout with 10:05 to play. A pair of Michael Porter Jr. threes and a Gary Harris dunk were part of a 12-6 Nuggets’ run that pushed Denver’s lead to 10 (53-42) with 5:00 remaining in the quarter.
Los Angeles chipped away at the Nuggets’ lead during the final minutes of the half, ending the quarter on an 11-2 run, but Denver still led by two (59-57) heading into halftime.
Jokic had a team-high 14 points, eight rebounds and six assists in the first half, and Porter contributed 12 points off the Nuggets’ bench. However, it was Clippers star Paul George that led all scorers with 17 points, as teammate Kawhi Leonard added 14 points himself.
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Veteran forward Paul Millsap got Denver going in the third quarter, scoring their first four points, but it was Jokic who carried them the rest of the way. The Joker scored or assisted on the next 15 points for the Nuggets and with 4:43 remaining, Denver was clinging onto a three-point lead (79-76).
Two huge dunks from Porter and Jerami Grant at the end of the third quarter gave the Nuggets a four-point lead (88-84) heading into the final period.
Porter carried the momentum into the fourth, scoring four quick points, and a step back three-pointer from Grant gave the Nuggets a seven-point lead (97-90) with 8:29 to play. Out of the timeout though, Los Angeles went on a 8-0 run, taking a 98-97 lead with 7:01 remaining.
After Ivica Zubac completed the three-point play after dunking on a fouling Millsap, the Clippers had a one-point lead with 4:51 remaining. Leonard would hit a step-back jumper pushed that lead to three (104-101) before LA began to pull away, taking an eight-point lead (111-103) with 1:17 remaining.
Two free-throws from Leonard in the final seconds of the game iced it for the Clippers, and Los Angeles escaped with a 113-107 victory.
George totaled 32 points on 12-18 shooting for the Clippers, as Leonard chipped in 23 points and 14 rebounds for Los Angeles. Jokic had a near triple-double in the loss, scoring 32 points, grabbing 12 rebounds and totaling eight assists.
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The loss puts the Nuggets down 2-1 in the series. Game 4 is set for Wednesday, Sep. 9 at 9 PM EST.