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Denver Nuggets star center Nikola Jokic had a strong performance in Game 4 of their first-round matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers, helping his team tie the series up at 2-2 in a 101-99 victory on Saturday.
The Clippers had a real chance to seize control of the series with a potential 3-1 lead against the Nuggets. But Los Angeles fell flat after halftime of Game 4, with Jokic making them pay for it.
The Clippers didn’t answer the moment to start the second half. Jokic went to work, hitting 6 of his 11 shots in the third quarter, outscoring the entire Clippers team, which managed just five baskets on 18 attempts. What could have been a tight game turned into a 20-point blowout heading into the fourth quarter. However, the Clippers came all the way back to tie the game late in the fourth, only for Denver to win as time expired on Aaron Gordon's buzzer-beating dunk.
The Clippers weren’t facing a fully loaded Nuggets team either. Denver was missing a key player in veteran point guard Russell Westbrook, who used to play for the Clippers, due to a foot injury. But even without him, the Nuggets managed to survive Game 4.
The MVP candidate took over, as the Nuggets needed a big performance from him. The Serbian big man finished the night with 36 points, including 16 in the third quarter.
“Him being an MVP player, getting to his spots, making shots,” Clippers star Kawhi Leonard said afterwards, per Law Murray of The Athletic. “Gotta give him credit. On the defensive end, we had five baskets. It’s the playoffs; it’s how it goes sometimes.”
Leonard, trying to keep things positive, was already looking ahead after the tough home-court loss.
“It’s still a series, best of three. And we’ll see what happens,” he shared.
Leonard led the Clippers in Game 4 with 24 points on 10-for-22 shooting from the field. Additionally, he had nine rebounds, two assists and two steals in 40 minutes of action.
But the Clippers know they let a big one get away. They need to be at their best if they can overcome the Nuggets. Game 5 tips off on Tuesday back in Denver.
