DENVER — Riding the momentum of a hot streak, the Los Angeles Clippers entered the NBA playoffs with a stellar record, having captured victory in 18 of their last 21 games, including an impressive eight consecutive wins.
Kawhi Leonard was back in peak form, shaking off injury concerns from his five-year tenure with the Clippers. James Harden managed to boost his scoring average by over six points compared to the previous season, while Ivica Zubac showcased his potential in his eighth year, achieving career highs in points (16.8), rebounds (a league-leading 12.6), and assists (2.7).
The trio combined for a total of 75 points in the team’s first-round playoff matchup against Denver on Saturday. Despite a strong 43-for-86 shooting display, the Clippers fell short, losing 112-110 in overtime due to unusual lapses in their offensive performance.
“Turning the ball over 20 times against the top-ranked team in offensive transition is a recipe for disaster,” remarked Clippers coach Tyronn Lue after his team squandered a 15-point advantage from the first half.
In the past month, the Clippers’ few setbacks included narrow losses to the top-seeded teams in both conferences — 103-101 to the Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City and 127-122 against the Eastern Conference-leading Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Nuggets recently made a surprising move by parting ways with their most successful coach and the general manager credited with completing the team’s championship blueprint in 2023. Subsequently, under the interim leadership of David Adelman, the team improved to 4-0, overcoming a 15-point deficit to eventually prevail over a fervent Clippers team.
“We’re well-positioned,” Lue stated. “The focus for us is to execute properly. You can’t commit 20 turnovers and expect to defeat a formidable team. Conceding 29 points off turnovers is a tough hurdle to overcome against quality opponents.”
Initially, the Clippers surged to a 49-34 lead, only for the Nuggets to rally behind Nikola Jokic’s remarkable performance, which included 29 points, 12 assists, and nine rebounds.
“They amped up the intensity, particularly on defense. Jokic skillfully varied his defensive strategies, leaving us struggling to adapt,” analyzed Lue. “Their defensive physicality altered the game dynamics significantly.”
Looking ahead, Leonard emphasized the necessity of maintaining an aggressive approach for Game 2 on Monday night to avoid heading home trailing 2-0. Harden also voiced concerns over the Clippers’ numerous unforced errors.
“That’s where we lost the game,” Harden noted. “It wasn’t about what they did; it was all on us.”
In the decisive moment, former Clippers player Russell Westbrook forced a crucial turnover on an inbounds pass with the Nuggets leading by three points and mere seconds remaining in overtime. The ball deflected off Harden, and Westbrook explained it was a matter of having prior knowledge.
“Being familiar with that inbounds play from my time here helped,” stated Westbrook.
Despite this setback, Harden remained confident in the Clippers’ potential for a deep playoff run.
“It’s mildly frustrating since these are mistakes we inflicted upon ourselves,” he admitted. “However, it’s something we’ve excelled at in recent weeks.”