Denver Nuggets heart Nikola Jokic (15) talks with Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden (1) throughout the first half of an NBA basketball in-season event recreation Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023, in Denver. (AP Picture/Jack Dempsey)
DENVER — Nikola Jokic had 32 factors, 16 rebounds and 9 assists, and the Denver Nuggets beat Los Angeles 111-108 in an NBA In-Season Match recreation on Tuesday night time, maintaining the Clippers winless since buying James Harden final month.
Jokic was good on 14 free throw makes an attempt, together with two with 13 seconds left that helped the Nuggets maintain off the Clippers’ comeback attempt.
Los Angeles has misplaced 5 straight with Harden, who was acquired on Oct. 30, and 6 in a row total regardless of the 34-year-old guard’s finest recreation along with his new crew since arriving from Philadelphia.
Jokic bought buckets because the Nuggets moved to 2-0 in West Group B play 🏆
32 PTS 16 REB 9 AST
The following @nuggets In-Season Match matchup is Friday, 11/17 vs. NOP on the NBA App pic.twitter.com/JbUz3u7b7D
— NBA (@NBA) November 15, 2023
“I saved reiterating, I didn’t have a coaching camp or a preseason, so sort of studying on the fly,” Harden mentioned. “Additionally getting myself into James Harden form. Tonight was positively one other step in the proper course and simply preserve enhancing.”
Harden scored 21 factors and Paul George tied a season excessive with 35 factors as Los Angeles fell to 0-2 in West Group B play.
“I assumed we performed nice. It’s powerful, the adversity of enjoying towards the additional three,” George mentioned of the officiating. “I assumed they had been terrible however, the defending champs, we’ve bought to play higher.
“So many instances I bought hit on layups, 3-pointers. It was fixed. Leap photographs, getting hit, smacked on the forearm. It was a poor job.”
Paul George dropped 35 PTS and seven REB because the Clippers fell in a West Group B showdown tonight.
Their subsequent In-Season Match matchup is on Friday, 11/17 vs. HOU on the NBA App 🏆 pic.twitter.com/KGPA3MveOb
— NBA (@NBA) November 15, 2023
Aaron Gordon scored 20 factors and Reggie Jackson 18 for Denver, which has received each of its video games within the West B bracket.
The Nuggets had been with out level guard Jamal Murray for the fourth straight recreation. He’s anticipated to overlook the remainder of the month along with his strained proper hamstring.
Denver appeared to have sealed the sport when Jokic fed Gordon for a dunk and a 109-104 lead with 50 seconds left. Jackson missed two free throws with 32 seconds remaining and Kawhi Leonard hit two from the road earlier than arising along with his fifth steal, which led to George’s layup with 15 seconds left.
After Jokic’s free throws, George’s 3-point try wedged between the rim and backboard. The Nuggets received the bounce ball and held on as time expired.
“In the present day they performed nicely however we performed nicely sufficient to get a (win),” Jackson mentioned.
Harden bought aggressive on the finish of third, going round Jalen Pickett for a layup, hitting two free throws and draining a 3-pointer with 4.7 seconds left within the interval to provide the Clippers an 84-81 lead. Gordon hit 31-footer on the horn to tie it heading into the fourth.
Los Angeles took a 99-92 lead on Leonard’s fadeaway halfway by means of the fourth.
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“They’re nonetheless figuring it out. You possibly can see it, they’ve bought quite a lot of abilities that overlap,” Jackson mentioned of the Clippers’ 4 stars. “When you have got superstars, superstars can do quite a lot of issues. They gave us an ideal punch tonight.”
UP NEXT
Clippers: Host the Houston Rockets on Friday night time of their third event recreation.
Nuggets: On the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night time for his or her first street recreation of the event.
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