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Paul Millsap of the Denver Nuggets, left, shoots at Marcus Morris Sr. of the Los Angeles Clippers during the first half of an NBA conference semifinal basketball game, Friday, Sept. 11, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (AP Photo / Mark J. Terrill)
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Paul Millsap scored 14 of his 17 points in the third quarter, Michael Porter Jr. made a late triple and the Denver Nuggets overcame a 15-point deficit in the second half to upset the Los Angeles Clippers 111- 105 on Friday night in Game 5.
Denver, 16 down in the first half, trailed 61-46 with 9:42 left in the third before rallying behind Millsap, 35.
The Nuggets took their first lead on Nikola Jokic’s 3-pointer with 7:06 to play and extended it to eight. After the Clippers got inside a basket, Porter hit a deep triple with 1:11 left for all but to finish.
Jamal Murray finished with 26 points and Jokic added 22 points and 14 rebounds to help the Nuggets go 3-2 in the best-of-seven series. Game 6 is Sunday.
This marked Denver’s fourth elimination game victory this postseason, the most for the team since they captured six games in which they either won or went home during the 1994 playoff race. The Nuggets came back from a 3 deficit. -1 to win their first-round series against Utah.
Kawhi Leonard scored 36 points and Paul George added 26 for the Clippers, who are seeking the franchise’s first appearance in a conference final. They are 0-6 in games that could secure a trip to the conference finals.
Millsap and Marcus Morris saw each other at the end of the first half and had to part ways. Morris received a technical foul.
TIP-INS
Nuggets: Gary Harris fouled with 1:58 remaining. It had seven points.
Clippers: G Patrick Beverley finished with 10 points. … Morris added 12 points.
MEMORIES OF 9/11
Clippers coach Doc Rivers and Nuggets coach Michael Malone reflected on their memories of the 19th anniversary of September 11, 2001.
Rivers had just returned home to Orlando after a trip to Australia when he woke up to the news that started to hit. Almost 3,000 people were killed when al Qaeda hijackers took control of four planes, sending two of the planes to the World Trade Center in New York, one to the Pentagon and the fourth to a field in Pennsylvania.
“Like all Americans that day, we were in awe. We were sad and we just needed answers, ”Rivers said. “It was a sad day for our country.”
Malone was working in New York with coach Jeff Van Gundy and was at the team’s practice facility. He recalled that a team manager told them to turn on the television.
“It was surreal. You felt so vulnerable, ”Malone said. “I reflected on that today, 19 years ago and the tragic memories you have.”
HEART TO HEART
Malone said he spoke with Porter about how to publicly express his frustrations over his role, as the rookie did after Game 4.
“During the playoffs, the last thing you want is any kind of distraction,” Malone said. “If those frustrations are there for Michael, for anyone, it’s much better to have those conversations internally, in the locker room and with each other.”
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