Before tonight’s game, let’s look back at how the LA Clippers and Denver Nuggets matched up in the regular season.
Round 2 is set! The LA Clippers will take on the Denver Nuggets. Before we get to that, let’s take a look back at how the regular season went for the Clips against Denver.
After a less than high-octane game 7, the Nuggets outlasted the Jazz and will be our opponents in the second round of the playoffs. Let’s have a look at how the regular-season games between these teams played out! We’ll start on January 12th:
Game 1: January 12th, 2020 – LAC 104, DEN 114
Out of the three games these teams played in the regular season, this was the lone loss for the good guys. With ten and a half minutes left in the second quarter, Michael Porter, Jr. hit a three to take the lead, and the Clippers would never be in front again. The Nuggets would lead by as many as 20, and despite a comeback effort from the Clips, the result was never really in doubt.
Kawhi put in 30 points, Lou added 26 in a starting role and Trezz chipped in 25 off the bench. Outside of those three, no Clipper could get it going on offense; only 4 other players scored at all, and nobody hit double digits. Four of our guys put in minutes and never saw the ball go in.
On the other side, the Nuggets had 7 players in double digits, including Nikola Jokic putting up 20 points, 15 rebounds, and 6 assists. More than any other game really this season, the Clippers didn’t have the answer for the Nuggets big man.
That said, this is also probably the game that means the least to the upcoming playoffs series. Paul George didn’t play, and this was before the trade deadline, so Mo Harkless and Jerome Robinson found playing time in this game.
So really, what can we say out of this? If Paul George and Marcus Morris don’t play, and if 4 of our players get held scoreless and don’t contribute, we’ll lose.
Or, we could look at the fact that even shorthanded, the Clippers were able to forge a comeback. Despite trailing by 20 in the third, the Clips cut it to 6 late in the 4th. Something to keep in mind if the Nuggets get out to an early lead in one of these playoff games.