The Los Angeles Clippers were strong in their 126-122 win against the Denver Nuggets. The Clippers were given a close fight by the Nuggets, with the biggest lead of the game being just 11 points. But for the most part, it was their ability to keep pushing them that allowed them to get a big win.
James Harden had a really strong performance, as he put up 39 points (10-26 FG), 11 assists, nine rebounds, and one steal while shooting 6-11 from deep. Norman Powell had 28 points (9-17 FG), one assist, and one steal while shooting 5-8 from the three-point line. Terrance Mann came off the bench to deliver a strong 15 points (6-7 FG), three rebounds, and one assist.
As for the Nuggets, they were once again led by Nikola Jokic, who put up another triple-double with 28 points, 14 rebounds, 11 assists, one steal, and one block. Jamal Murray had 18 points (7-12 FG), seven assists, and one steal. Michael Porter Jr. also had 18 points (8-11 FG) along with seven rebounds and one assist.
The Clippers, despite the game being very close and even trailing the Nuggets at several points, never really looked uncomfortable. Here are three reasons why the Clippers beat the Nuggets:
Clippers Find Joy At Free Throw Line
The L.A. Clippers had a lot of success scoring at all three levels. But it was their success at the free-throw line. The Clippers had 27 attempts at the stripe and converted 22 of them, with a success rate of 81.5%. James Harden himself showed a glimpse of just how crafty he is at getting to the free-throw line, making all 13 of his free throws.
In contrast, the Denver Nuggets made it to the free-throw line 19 times. But they only converted a little above half of their attempts, making 10 successful free throws at 52.6%. This inefficiency at the free throw line really cost them, as even making four or five more of their free throws could have tied or won the Nuggets the game respectively.
The Clippers are the seventh-best free-throw shooting team in the NBA, having drained 374 free throws at a rate of 77.4%. By contrast, the Nuggets rank 19th in the NBA for free throws made, with 339 shots made with a percentage of 75.8%. And this disparity could be seen tonight.
Three-Point Shooting Decides The Game For Clippers
The Clippers didn’t just do well at the free throw line but also from deep. They made 18 of their 39 attempted threes, making 46.2 of their shots. The starters went a strong 11-25 from beyond the arc, converting 44.0% of their shots. The Clippers bench wasn’t far behind, going 7-14 from deep.
As for the Nuggets, while they had a good night shooting the ball from deep, they didn’t perform nearly as well as the Clippers, going 10-24 from the three-point line as a team, with a good 41.7% of their attempted threes going in. Nuggets’ starters went 6-14 from beyond the arc, making 42.8% of their shots. As for the bench, their record wasn’t as good from deep, going 4-10 from range at a clip 40.0%.
The Clippers’ three-point shooting played a massive role in their team’s win. James Harden and Norman Powell made some big shots for them and helped them close out a major win.
Clippers Force Turnovers From Nuggets Starters
The Clippers and Nuggets had the same number of turnovers tonight, with 14 each. In fact, both James Harden and Nikola Jokic, who led their teams in scoring and assists, gave the ball up five times each. But there is a disparity between the turnovers from the starters and the bench players on both teams.
The Nuggets’ starters combined for 12 of their team’s 14 turnovers. By contrast, their bench players only gave up two turnovers. This is surprising, especially considering Russell Westbrook (one turnover), who is a player who tends to turn the ball over very easily.
As for the Clippers, their starters combined for 10 of the team’s 14 turnovers. Which is by no means a great improvement. But in a game of inches such as tonight’s, the Clippers even marginally limiting their turnovers made a massive difference and helped them seal the win.
The Nuggets are now 10-8 on the season, and they now hold the ninth seed in the Western Conference. This isn’t the start they would have liked, as they wanted to be in the mix at the top of the West to prove their mettle as a championship contender this season.
The Clippers, despite missing their best player in Kawhi Leonard, who will be absent for the foreseeable future, have started the season strong, with a 13-9 record, and occupy the seventh seed in the Western Conference.
For now, the Clippers will look to their final NBA Cup game on Tuesday, December 3rd, at 10:30 PM EST against the Portland Trail Blazers. Given how the Trail Blazers are one of the weakest teams in the NBA, they should be considered the favorites to win the game.
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