Key Points Summary – Clippers Lose in Overtime
- The red-hot Clippers lose a heartbreaker to the Nuggets 112-110 in overtime.
- LA had a 15-point first-half lead but crumbled under pressure.
- Turnovers were the story: the Clippers coughed it up 20 times, leading to 29 Denver points.
- Luka Doncic scored 37, but it wasn’t enough to save LA in his playoff debut with the team.
- Russell Westbrook came back to haunt his former squad with clutch defense and a game-changing three.
- Jokic dominated with 29 points, 12 assists, and 9 rebounds, nearly posting a triple-double.
- The Nuggets are now 4-0 under interim coach David Adelman.
- Game 2 is set for Monday night in Denver — and the pressure is already sky-high.
Clippers Lose in Overtime – And It’s a Total Meltdown in Mile High
What a night, what a game, and what a brutal collapse for the LA Clippers.
After roaring into the playoffs as the NBA’s hottest team — winners of 18 of their last 21 — the Clippers looked ready to steamroll their way through the first round. They started strong, built a double-digit lead, and had control of Game 1 against the Denver Nuggets.
Then everything fell apart.
Final score: Denver 112, LA Clippers 110 in overtime.
The Nuggets, under an interim head coach and with a cloud of drama hanging over them, pulled off the shocker of the weekend. And the villain? None other than former Clipper Russell Westbrook, who turned into a playoff pest just when it mattered most.
Clippers Came In Hot – And Then Sizzled Out
The Clippers were riding high. Kawhi Leonard looked healthy. James Harden had upped his scoring. Ivica Zubac was having the best season of his career.
And for most of the first half, it all looked picture-perfect. The Clippers jumped out to a 49-34 lead, silencing the Denver crowd and flashing all the firepower that had made them a legit contender.
But the second half told a different story. The Nuggets clawed back, forced overtime, and then snatched the win from LA’s fingers in the final seconds.
“We just gave that one away,” Harden said. “Self-inflicted.”
20 Turnovers Doom the Clippers
You don’t beat a team like the Nuggets by playing sloppy. And the Clippers? They were very sloppy.
- 20 turnovers.
- 29 points off those turnovers for Denver.
- 7 turnovers by Kawhi Leonard alone.
Those numbers are not a typo. The Clippers essentially handed the Nuggets the game on a silver platter.
“You turn the ball over 20 times against the No. 1 transition team in the league — you lose,” Coach Tyronn Lue said bluntly.
Luka Doncic Shines Bright – But It Wasn’t Enough
Luka Doncic delivered exactly what LA hoped for when they traded for him two months ago. He scored 37 points, attacked from everywhere, and tried to drag the Clippers to victory by himself.
But basketball is a team sport — and outside of Doncic, the Clippers just didn’t deliver down the stretch.
Leaders fumbled the ball. The defense fell apart. And Denver made them pay.
Russell Westbrook’s Revenge Game – Cold-Blooded and Clutch
Oh, the irony.
The man who was once criticized for his late-game errors in LA became the hero for Denver.
Westbrook, now coming off the bench for the Nuggets, hit a huge corner three to give Denver the lead late in regulation, then knocked an inbounds pass off Harden with 9.6 seconds left in overtime to seal the game.
“I just know that play,” Westbrook said coolly. “I was there for two seasons.”
He only scored 9 points and missed 12 of his 17 shots, but his impact on defense was undeniable. He was everywhere, intercepting passes, pressuring ball handlers, and making life miserable for his former teammates.
“Russ is Russ,” Nuggets interim coach David Adelman said. “Defensively, he was incredible.”
Jokic Nearly Triple-Doubles Again
Meanwhile, Nikola Jokic reminded everyone why he’s still the most versatile big man in the game.
The Joker scored 29 points, dished out 12 assists, and grabbed 9 rebounds, falling just one board short of another triple-double. He also orchestrated Denver’s comeback in the second half, mixing up defensive coverages that completely flustered the Clippers.
“Jokic changed the game,” Lue admitted. “We just didn’t read what he was doing.”
Clippers Have No Time to Sulk – Game 2 Looms Large
This loss was bad. But going down 0-2 would be a disaster.
Game 2 is set for Monday night at Ball Arena in Denver, and the Clippers have to find a way to clean up their game — fast. The turnovers, the lapses, the blown lead — they can’t afford a repeat performance.
“It’s just Game 1,” Kawhi Leonard said. “We’ll be fine.”
Let’s hope so. Because the Clippers were supposed to be title contenders. Right now? They look shaky.
Denver’s Secret Weapon: Momentum
The Nuggets didn’t just win Game 1. They won their fourth straight under interim coach David Adelman, after firing longtime coach Michael Malone just 11 days ago.
No one expected this. But now? They’re rolling.
Aaron Gordon dropped 25 points, Jamal Murray had 21, and the whole team played with poise and purpose. For a team that lost its GM and head coach just before the playoffs, Denver looks shockingly dialed in.
What’s Next for LA?
The pieces are all there: Doncic, Harden, Leonard, Zubac. But if the Clippers want to get serious about a title run, they have to stop beating themselves.
This was a game they had. A game they should’ve closed out.
Instead, they got out-hustled, out-executed, and outplayed in crunch time.
Clippers Lose in Overtime – Painful, Preventable, and Perfect for Denver
What a drama. What a heartbreak. And what a nightmare start for the Clippers.
After dominating for weeks, LA walks into Denver and throws away a golden opportunity. Luka did his part. But the rest of the team? They let it slip.
The Nuggets — minus their former coach, minus expectations — showed the kind of grit and teamwork that wins playoff series.
And now? The pressure is all on LA.
Game 2 is must-win. Because if the Clippers lose again, this series might already be over. And for a team with championship dreams?
That would be the most dramatic plot twist of all.
