DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic's triple-double — the first by anyone in these young playoffs — definitely stood out.
So did this: The reigning NBA MVP's seven turnovers and four missed free throws in Denver's 105-102 playoff loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night.
Jokic’s 26 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists represented his 19th career playoff triple-double. The loss, though, represented something even more significant as their first-round series with the Clippers heads to Los Angeles tied at 1-1. Game 3 is Thursday.
It could be worse — as Jokic quickly pointed out.
“We could be down 2-0 and they could be up 2-0,” he said as Monday turned into Tuesday in the Mile High City. “If you’re basketball fan, this is probably the best basketball you can watch.”
Especially given the offensive display put on by Kawhi Leonard, who looked like vintage Kawhi Leonard in erupting for 39 points. He hit 15 of 19 shots from the floor along with all five of his free throws.
“Maybe we should just make him feel more crowded?" Jokic said as he searched for solutions to slow down Leonard. “He did make tough shots, but are they really tough shots for him, the guy who is making those for such a long period of time? So maybe you just need to do a little bit more different, just (make him) hesitate a little bit more.”
That's what the Clippers did to Jokic, who wound up 8 of 16 from the floor. They swarmed him with just about everyone, including 7-foot center Ivica Zubac.
Anything to make Jokic's looks a little more difficult.
"He’s very, very skilled — his passing ability, scoring ability,” said James Harden, who had 18 points. “We did a really good job the last two games. So we need to be even better for the next few games, in order for us to be successful.”
It was a contrast to Game 1 — a 112-110 overtime win by Denver — where the Clippers had 20 turnovers and the Nuggets 11. This time it was the Nuggets with 20 miscues and the Clippers with 11.
The game featured eight lead changes in the fourth quarter and four ties. But each time the Nuggets tried to make a run, something would trip them up. They had five turnovers in the fourth quarter, including three by Jokic.
“Just seemed like every time we got back into it, tied or with the lead, a multitude of mistakes would follow that,” explained interim coach David Adelman, whose team went 14 of 22 from the free throw line (Jokic was 6 of 10). “Once you have momentum, you can’t have mistakes like that.”
The sequence late in a tight game summed up the night for Jokic and the Nuggets. Aaron Gordon missed a wide-open driving dunk with 2:43 remaining and Michael Porter Jr. had a turnover that led to Norman Powell's go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:30 left. Jokic would soon follow with another turnover (“threw it to Kawhi, basically,” he said).
Through it all, Denver had two looks in the closing seconds from 3-point range to tie the score. Christian Braun's shot missed and so did one from Jokic.
“Sometimes you miss, sometimes you make,” Jokic nonchalantly said.
He was already looking at the bright side.
“It’s a really pleasure to play in really important moments, important games,” Jokic said. “This is why you play. This is why we play.”
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