The Los Angeles Clippers will look to extend their home winning streak to eight games when they face the Denver Nuggets on Sunday in Inglewood, Calif.
Clippers coach Tyronn Lue’s team returns home after a 2-2 road trip, which ended with a dramatic 93-92 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in NBA Cup action on Friday night.
James Harden’s four-point play gave the Clippers a 90-87 lead with 4:10 remaining, but a chaotic finish ensued. Anthony Edwards responded for the Timberwolves with a steal and dunk, a go-ahead three-pointer, and a late free throw.
Despite the disappointing ending, Lue chose to focus on the positives, particularly the Clippers’ defensive efforts and persistence.
Harden (20 points, 11 assists) and Ivica Zubac (16 points, 13 rebounds) recorded double-doubles for Los Angeles in the narrow defeat.
Kevin Porter Jr. had 17 points off the bench but left the court with 90 seconds remaining due to a left ankle injury. Porter will not play on Sunday, and veteran guard/forward Norman Powell (left hamstring strain), who is averaging a team-high 23.3 points per game, is listed as questionable. Powell has not played since November 18.
While Lue has praised the Clippers’ defensive execution, Denver coach Michael Malone has not been as complimentary about his own team’s defense, despite the Nuggets’ comfortable 122-103 win over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday.
Nikola Jokic was dominant as usual, scoring 30 points, grabbing 10 rebounds, and dishing out seven assists. Jokic is having a stellar season, averaging career highs in points per game (29.7), assists per game (10.6), and three-point shooting percentage (53.4). He is also averaging 13.1 rebounds per contest.
Jokic is on track to become the sixth player in NBA history to win four MVP awards, joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan, Bill Russell, LeBron James, and Wilt Chamberlain. Jokic most recently won the award last season.
Despite Jokic’s individual brilliance and the ease of Denver’s victory, Malone believes the Nuggets are still some distance away from reaching the high levels of success they enjoyed over the previous two seasons.
