Center turned in an impressive performance. He was crucial in the Jokic-less victory last season and contributed 12 points and nine rebounds this time around. Malone opted to start him in place of Dario Saric on Tuesday. (Saric, after a standout two-way play against the Clippers, received an enthusiastic high-five from Malone as he approached the huddle.)
The Nuggets (21-15) continue to avoid rest. They are currently 8-0 on the second night of back-to-backs but 3-6 after two or more days off.
Following one of those losses to Boston, Malone praised his short-handed team’s spirit but highlighted the lack of any margin for error when Jokic isn’t on the court, particularly against strong teams. The Clippers may not be as formidable as the Celtics, but they have exceeded expectations in the first half of the season without Kawhi Leonard, who was healthy Wednesday but away from the team to support his family amid wildfires in the Los Angeles region.
They came to Ball Arena with a 20-16 record, just half a game behind fourth-place Denver. Now, by taking care of business, the Nuggets have effectively responded to a mini-lifeline sent to them by the NBA last month. Los Angeles led the season series 2-0 with one matchup left, only for the league to schedule a fourth regular-season game between the teams after both were eliminated from the NBA Cup.
The Clippers had a theoretical tiebreaker secured. The NBA removed that security. Now the series stands at 2-2, and if neither team wins its division, a potential tiebreaker will hinge on the best record against Western Conference opponents.
“There are no moral victories. I appreciate how hard we played (against Boston), but it’s still a loss,” Malone stated. “At the end of the season, that’s all anyone will see. We lost to Boston at home. … I reminded our players before we came out (tonight) that we’re 20-15. They’re 20-16. We’re down 1-2 against them in head-to-head matchups. This game carries significant weight. If you lose one game in this scenario, you drop from fourth to seventh place. Our guys understood that, and we found a way.”
Denver’s first half was thorough. Even without Jokic and Gordon (calf), the paint posed no issue. The Nuggets dominated 26-10 in the lane by halftime. They outscored the Clippers 18-7 in transition, 11-0 on second chances, and 30-18 from beyond the arc (thanks to a 10-for-13 start). They led the rebounding count, 29-20. Julian Strawther took heat-check three-pointers off the bench. Westbrook tipped in a missed free throw from Jordan for a four-point possession. Porter sank shots with defenders in his face. Murray sought threes off the dribble, not just mid-range attempts, and almost showcased his old “Blue Arrow” celebration after one pull-up.
“I can’t recall the last time I made two threes consecutively,” he remarked. “It felt great to come down and just shoot it. Like I said, I’ve been frustrated, simply missing some good looks, and it felt good to sink a couple like that.”