The Los Angeles Clippers faced two powerhouses this week and emerged from the skid 1-1.
First, they took on the Denver Nuggets, led by the dominant center Nikola Jokic. Los Angeles played without Kawhi Leonard in both matchups due to a sprained ankle and foot. Luckily, James Harden returned and powered the Clippers to a double overtime win against the Mavericks.
Wednesday’s game against Denver proved to be a tough one. The Nuggets defeated the Clippers 130-116 behind an unstoppable performance by Jokic, who dropped 55 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists. Although it was primarily Jokic’s night, Aaron Gordon added 18 points, and Jamal Murray tacked on another 15 points.
While LA found their rhythm in the paint early on, it was still hard to go against Jokic, who scored 25 points in the first quarter. However, Harden made 10-straight free throws while dropping a total of 23 points, eight rebounds, and five assists.
He led a spiraling Clippers to a 68-63 halftime lead with the help of Jordan Miller, who scored a career-high 22 points, and center Ivica Zubac, who had 18 points. The Clippers kept the game close until this point, but their lead was quickly taken away when Jokic once again took over in the second half.
The Nuggets went into the fourth quarter ahead 106-90. Jokic sat out until the bitter end, where he once again scored three more points to close out the night.
Los Angeles had better luck against Dallas on Friday. Harden recorded his 82nd career triple-double: a season-high 41 points combined with 14 rebounds and 11 assists. Those numbers led the Clippers to a double-overtime win. Zubac also tallied a season high of 27 points and 11 rebounds, and LA snapped their six-game losing streak.
The Clippers had a 62-55 halftime lead, but the Mavericks covered the difference in the second half and forced overtime. For the Mavericks, Naji Marshall and D’Angelo Russell added 28 points each, and rookie sensation Cooper Flagg had 16 points.
With just 20 seconds left in OT1, a layup by Flagg tied the game at 123-123 and sent it to a second overtime. LA’s relentlessness in OT2 helped them win 133-127. It’s safe to say Harden was the player of the night.
The Clippers are set to play the Boston Celtics Sunday at 12:30 p.m. at TD Garden.