Friday night’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers was special for several reasons. Aside from celebrating Serbian Heritage Night at the Ball Arena, the Denver Nuggets also saw their superstar, Nikola Jokic, make his long-awaited return from injury.
Despite playing in his first game since Dec. 29, Nikola Jokic displayed just how valuable he was. Coming up against one of the hottest teams in the NBA, Jokic posted 31 points, 12 rebounds, and five assists in just 25 minutes to lead his team to a 122-109 victory over the Clippers.
Although the Serbian superstar did some of the heavy lifting, he was closely supported by his co-star, Jamal Murray, who recorded 20 points, four rebounds, and nine assists for the game. Peyton Watson also had a noteworthy showcase, adding 21 points, four rebounds, and three assists to the winning effort.
Both teams started the game off strong, trading baskets at every juncture. While the score was level for the majority of the quarter, the balance began to shift in Denver’s favor, nearing the end following a three-pointer by Tim Hardaway Jr. With Watson feeding off this momentum, the Nuggets forward scored six points in quick succession to extend Denver’s lead.
The Nuggets enjoyed an eight-point lead and benefited from having the momentum on their side going into the second quarter. While the Clippers displayed some resilience behind Kawhi Leonard and John Collins‘ timely scoring, the combined contributions of Nikola Jokic and Jonas Valanciunas helped the Nuggets sustain their lead.
The third quarter saw more of the same from both teams. Whenever the Clippers attempted to establish a foothold and go on a scoring run, the Nuggets would respond with crucial baskets to stifle L.A.’s offense.
Although James Harden and Ivica Zubac made a noteworthy attempt to cut through the deficit in this quarter, the Nuggets’ pair of Jokic and Murray put an immense amount of pressure on the Clippers’ defense. With Jokic forcing defenders to foul him and Murray knocking down shots from the outside, Denver maintained their scoring pace, eventually going on to win the quarter 33-30.
With the lead now inflated to 12 points, the game seemed to be slipping away from L.A.’s grasp. Still, the Clippers’ resolve didn’t waver. Kobe Sanders kicked off the scoring for Los Angeles in the final frame, adding eight points before Leonard knocked down two free throws and a fadeaway jumper to reduce Denver’s lead.
Now within striking distance, the Clippers had the opportunity to turn things around. Unfortunately, coming out of the timeout, the Nuggets did what they had done all game long: execute.
Hardaway Jr. stepped up to kill L.A.’s momentum yet again, knocking down three crucial free throws to help the Nuggets pull away. Although Leonard’s onslaught continued, Denver had now found a way to respond to each offensive possession.
A late scoring surge by the Nuggets, led by Jokic, extended the lead to 18 points. With less than two minutes left, Denver, now certain of the victory, subbed out all of its starters.
While the Nuggets won by a wide margin, the game was highly competitive.
The Clippers saw meaningful contributions, led by the superstar pair of Kawhi Leonard (21 PTS, 3 REB, 6 AST) and James Harden (25 PTS, 5 REB, 9 AST). John Collins also played a vital role, posting 18 points, four rebounds, and six assists in the game. Unfortunately, the lack of bench production and insufficient defensive effort became their undoing.
This win is quite meaningful for the Nuggets, who will continue to field a shorthanded rotation, despite seeing Nikola Jokic back in the lineup.
Denver had displayed resilience without Jokic, posting a 10-6 record while he was sidelined. Having improved to 32-16 on the season with him back in the rotation, the Nuggets will appear considerably more threatening.
