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Denver Nuggets forward Jerami Grant showcased his defensive chops on Sunday night against one of the best players in the entire league in Kawhi Leonard. The Nuggets emerged victorious against the Los Angeles Clippers, 114-104, and this was certainly thanks in part to Grant's impressive defense on the reigning Finals MVP.
While Leonard still managed 30 points for the game, Grant made him work hard all night. The highlight of Grant's outstanding showing against Leonard has to be the two blocks he got against the Clippers superstar. This impressed Nuggets head coach Michael Malone, who noted that it's something “you don’t see very often against Kawhi Leonard,” per Kyle Fredrickson of the Denver Post.
Likewise, Nuggets teammate Nikola Jokic had nothing but good things to say about Grant's performance, emphasizing how the latter's effort proved crucial:
“Jerami is someone who can match with him,” Jokic said. “Kawhi is really amazing. It seems like every shot is going in. But (Grant) made him work because of his length and how quick he is.”
Jerami Grant, who finished with 11 points, two rebounds, two assists, a steal, and a couple of blocks, also shared his thoughts on defending one of the best offensive players in the NBA today:
“It’s about trying to contain the ball and making him take tough shots,” he said. “You get beat on some plays and thank goodness I’ve got the athleticism to try to meet him at the rim.”
This was a big win for the Nuggets, as they held off a fellow Western Conference contender in the Clippers in a game that saw Doc Rivers get ejected. It's getting extremely tight at the top of the West right now, with the fifth-placed Clippers just half a game behind Denver, who is currently holding the second spot.
