LA Clippers destroyed Nikola Jokic’s Denver Nuggets in a 34-point Game 3 victory

The Los Angeles Clippers secured a thrilling 117-83 win over the Denver Nuggets at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood on April 24th. Nikola Jokic’s Nuggets attempted to chase the score, but James Harden and company blended the offense and defense pretty well throughout the game, leaving less room for the opposition. With the win, the Clippers are now leading the series 2-1.

The Clippers delivered a strong team performance, leading to a 117-point finish. Norman Powell contributed 20 points in 28 minutes and shot 58.3% from the field, while also hitting three triples. Kawhi Leonard had a solid all-around night with 21 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists, shooting 41.2% overall and an impressive 50% from beyond the arc.

Ivica Zubac was highly efficient inside, scoring 19 points on 66.7% shooting while grabbing 9 boards. James Harden showed his playmaking skills with 9 assists to go along with his 20 points. Nicolas Batum made a big impact off the bench, hitting 4 of 6 from three-point range to score 12 points and adding 5 rebounds and 3 blocks.
Other contributors included Kris Dunn with 6 points and 8 rebounds, and Derrick Jones Jr. scoring 10 points while hitting two three-pointers. Bogdan Bogdanović chipped in 3 points, and Patty Mills added another 3.
As for the Denver Nuggets, they had a rough night offensively, shooting just 40.3% from the field in their recent outing. Michael Porter Jr. struggled significantly, going 2-of-9 from the floor and 1-of-6 from deep, finishing with only 7 points and a -25 plus-minus in 35 minutes.

Nikola Jokic did his best to keep the Nuggets in the game. He delivered solid all-around performance with 23 points, 13 rebounds, and 13 assists on 64.3% shooting. Still, the impact wasn’t enough to turn things around. The team as a whole shot just 14-of-20 from the free-throw line, and while that’s a decent 70%, the lack of offensive rhythm hurt their chances.
Jamal Murray chipped in 23 points on 8-of-15 shooting and was a perfect 6-for-6 from the line, but once again, support from the bench was minimal. Russell Westbrook, in limited minutes, shot 1-of-5. Christian Braun had a decent showing with 9 points and 6 rebounds, though his 1 assist and 2 turnovers show the team’s difficulty in creating plays without Jokic on the floor.
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In total, the Nuggets turned the ball over 16 times and committed 83 personal fouls across the roster. Players like Zeke Nnaji, Hunter Tyson, and Julian Strawther saw limited action but failed to make much of an impact. Denver was also out-rebounded 38 to their opponents’ total, including just 11 offensive boards. The poor shooting, lack of bench production, and defensive lapses made it a night to forget for the Nuggets, who ended the game with a -34 point differential.