Saturday night in the NBA playoffs was all about the teams building things. The Denver Nuggets claimed it after the Toronto Raptors beat the Boston Celtics 2-2 in Game 4 of their series. They also took their matchup down to 1-1 in Game 2, the Los Angeles Clippers, 110-101.
After blowing in Game 1, Nuggets came out with something to prove in Game 2, to break the 44-point lead in the first quarter to take a 19-point lead. Their lead increased to 23, and despite the Clippers fighting again in the fourth quarter, the Nuggets were able to hang on. Jamal Murray led all scorers with 27 points, while Nicola Joaquin added 26 points and 18 rebounds to win.
Paul George went for 22 points, and the Clippers had six players in double figures that night, but that was almost not enough. In the first half they were terrific at the defensive end, turning the ball 17 times and shooting 28.1 per cent from a 3-point range. It’s hard to win playoff games with a combination of those flaws.
Here are some key tips from this game:
Nuggets fourth quarter response
Denver jumped early to jump to a 19-point lead at the end of the first quarter. It’s about getting headlines, and so right, but it wasn’t really the biggest stretch of the game for the Nuggets. Instead, it had a response in the fourth quarter after the Clippers returned to the game.
Early in the fourth, George drilled a 3-pointer to reduce the deficit to five points. With more than eight minutes left in the game, the Nuggets were in danger. They could have easily collapsed at the time, as we watched the Bucks the other night when we started making runs in the fourth quarter.
Instead, Nuggets showed some impressive resolve, and responded. Jockey went inside for the Nifty reverse layout, then Gary Harris drained two throws, before Jeremy Grant reached the line to throw him two free throws to make it 10-0. Suddenly they returned a few minutes into the game at 15 o’clock.
The Clippers continued to wear out, but inevitably ended the game run by Nuggets.
Kavi is struggling in the playoffs for the first time
Poet Leonard has once again been incredible in the playoffs since launching his final MVP performance last season. He scored at least 29 points and at least 45.5 percent in the Clippers ’first seven games. Game 2 ended that streak, as he gave up just 13 points on a 4-of-17 shooting from the field.
Not only was it his worst game in the postseason, it was his lowest-scoring playoff performance since 2001, when he was still with the Spurs. To be fair to Leonard, he was a little unlucky that night. A number of his numbers went out from the inside, and he probably deserved a few more calls than that.
At the same time, Denver deserves credit for making things tough. Grant made the tedious shift of checking on him all night, and the defenders were often helped to offer help if Leonard landed. In addition to catching Leonard through his worst postseason shooting night, the Nuggets also pushed him into the playoffs-high for turnover.
The players in the role of Denver move on
It has been Jamal Murray and Nicola Jokic shows for the Nuggets so far in the playoffs. That pair averages per game.95. Average of points, or about half of the Nuggets’ score on an overnight basis. That was enough in the first round against the Jazz, but it’s not really sustainable to get as much offense consistently from just two players.
In Game 2, Murray (27 points) and Jokic (26) made their way once again, this time with a little help. Four other Nuggets made double figures, including Paul Mills and P and Harris 13, while Michael Porter Jr. came off the bench at 11 and joined Monte Morris 10.
It was Postseason’s best scoring game for Harris, returning to action at the end of the first round after dealing with a hip injury. His contribution was particularly significant, as he threw down three triplets in the fourth quarter, sealing the win as a huge two-part 10-0.
If the Nuggets want to upset the clippers in this series, they will need one more night where multiple people move forward and help Murray and Jockey carry the load.
Incredible price by Jockey
Not really much to add, this is just a fantastic price.
