Denver Nuggets star big man Nikola Jokic helped lead his team to yet another come-from-behind win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday, forcing a Game 7 in the process.
Now, Jokic says the pressure is all on the Clippers:
Nikola Jokic: "I think the whole pressure is on them"
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) September 13, 2020
It would be hard to find fault with Jokic's argument.
Los Angeles took a commanding 3-1 series lead after winning Game 3 and Game 4, and they took a big lead late into Game 5.
But the Clippers have collapsed in the second half of each of the last two contests. Sunday's meltdown was perhaps the most egregious yet, as Jokic and the Nuggets erased a 19-point Clippers lead in the third quarter before embarking on a 13-2 run just over midway through the fourth quarter.
Jokic played a huge role in keeping the Nuggets on top after Jamal Murray helped anchor the third-quarter run.
The big man knocked down multiple 3-pointers and scored 11 points in the final period as Denver stunned the Clippers. The Nuggets also got some help from an inspired Gary Harris, who scored eight of his 16 points in the final period.
Jokic finished the contest with 34 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists, continuing his strong run of play and bringing the Nuggets to the brink of the Western Conference Finals.
Denver had nothing to lose and everything to gain the moment it fell down 3-1 for a second consecutive series. But the Clippers — a title favorite and a team on the verge of an enormous collapse — might indeed have all the pressure as the to teams prepare for a winner-take-all contest on Tuesday night.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Lakers are sitting back and laughing as these two teams battle it out to the limit. They'll certainly be well-rested and aren't feeling any pressure at all right now as a title favorite.
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