With their season hanging by a thread, Los Angeles Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue made a rare move, reaching out to several players by phone on their day off to check on their mental readiness. It was a crucial conversation to ensure his team was prepared for the fight ahead.
The Clippers responded with a gutsy performance in Game 6, forcing a Game 7 in their first-round playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 111-105 victory. James Harden led the charge with 28 points and eight assists, while Kawhi Leonard added 27 points in the win. Norman Powell contributed 24 points as well, helping Los Angeles recover from back-to-back losses.
The Clippers took control in the second half, tightening up their defense on Nikola Jokic, who had scored 20 of his 25 points in the first half. “I give our guys credit for just staying with it,” said Lue. “They didn’t get deflated, and we did a good job… It’s about being a team and whatever it takes to win.”
Game 7 will be held in Denver on Saturday.
Jamal Murray had 21 points for the Nuggets, who failed to close out the series, marking their fourth loss in a potential series-clinching game over the past two seasons. Denver’s Game 7 record hasn’t been strong either, as they haven’t won one since 2020 when they ousted the Clippers in the conference semifinals.
“They were quicker to the punch,” Murray acknowledged. “They played with a lot more desperation because their backs were against the wall, and you’ve got to give them credit.”
Harden, after facing criticism for his passive performance in Game 5, bounced back with an aggressive showing, while Leonard was also assertive, adding 10 rebounds and five assists. Harden reflected, “It was win or go home, so there were opportunities to be aggressive, and I took them. One more game… We didn’t want to go home.”
Ivica Zubac and Nicolas Batum helped limit Jokic’s impact, with the MVP held scoreless for 11 minutes in the third quarter and shooting just 2 for 9 in the second half.
The Clippers led by 15 with just under six minutes to go, but Denver made a run, cutting the lead to 107-101. However, Powell hit a critical 3-pointer with 1:47 left, and the Clippers held on with strong defense. In the final moments, Russell Westbrook missed two key layups, and Zubac blocked Jokic’s layup attempt, preserving the win for Los Angeles.
