Nikola Jokic scores 32, Nuggets win 111-108 to maintain the Clippers winless with James Harden
DENVER — Nikola Jokic had 32 factors, 16 rebounds and 9 assists, and the Denver Nuggets beat Los Angeles 111-108 in an NBA In-Season Tournament sport on Tuesday evening, retaining the Clippers winless since buying James Harden final month.
Jokic was good on 14 free throw makes an attempt, together with two with 13 seconds left that helped the Nuggets maintain off the Clippers’ comeback strive.
Los Angeles has misplaced 5 straight with Harden, who was acquired on Oct. 30, and 6 in a row total regardless of the 34-year-old guard’s finest sport along with his new group since arriving from Philadelphia.
“I kept reiterating, I didn’t have a training camp or a preseason, so kind of learning on the fly,” Harden stated. “Also getting myself into James Harden shape. Tonight was definitely another step in the right direction and just keep improving.”
Harden scored 21 factors and Paul George tied a season excessive with 35 factors as Los Angeles fell to 0-2 in West Group B play.
“I thought we played great. It’s tough, the adversity of playing against the extra three,” George stated of the officiating. “I believed they have been terrible however, the defending champs, we’ve acquired to play higher.
“So many times I got hit on layups, 3-pointers. It was constant. Jump shots, getting hit, smacked on the forearm. It was a poor job.”
Aaron Gordon scored 20 factors and Reggie Jackson 18 for Denver, which has received each of its video games within the West B bracket.
The Nuggets have been with out level guard Jamal Murray for the fourth straight sport. He is anticipated to overlook the remainder of the month along with his strained proper hamstring.
Denver appeared to have sealed the sport when Jokic fed Gordon for a dunk and a 109-104 lead with 50 seconds left. Jackson missed two free throws with 32 seconds remaining and Kawhi Leonard hit two from the road earlier than developing along with his fifth steal, which led to George’s layup with 15 seconds left.
After Jokic’s free throws, George’s 3-point try wedged between the rim and backboard. The Nuggets received the leap ball and held on as time expired.
“Today they played well but we played well enough to get a (win),” Jackson stated.
Harden acquired aggressive on the finish of third, going round Jalen Pickett for a layup, hitting two free throws and draining a 3-pointer with 4.7 seconds left within the interval to offer the Clippers an 84-81 lead. Gordon hit 31-footer on the horn to tie it heading into the fourth.
Los Angeles took a 99-92 lead on Leonard’s fadeaway halfway by the fourth.
“They’re still figuring it out. You can see it, they’ve got a lot of talents that overlap,” Jackson stated of the Clippers’ 4 stars. “When you have superstars, superstars can do a lot of things. They gave us a great punch tonight.”
UP NEXT
Clippers: Host the Houston Rockets on Friday evening of their third event sport.
Nuggets: At the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday evening for his or her first highway sport of the event.
