Even with Kawhi Leonard & Paul George, Clippers crushed by Nuggets

Jamal Murray scored 18 factors, Bones Hyland added 16, and the host Denver Nuggets used a giant first half to rout the Los Angeles Clippers 122-91 on Thursday evening.

Vlatko Cancar had 15 factors and 12 rebounds, Aaron Gordon and Zeke Nnaji every scored 13 factors, Nikola Jokic completed with 12 factors and 9 assists, and Michael Porter Jr. added 10 factors for Denver.

Norman Powell scored 13 factors, Moses Brown had 12 factors and 10 rebounds, and Terance Mann additionally had 12 factors for the Clippers, who misplaced their fourth straight regardless of having Paul George and Kawhi Leonard within the lineup. George scored three factors and Leonard had six and neither performed within the second half. No Los Angeles starter scored in double figures.

The Nuggets took management of the sport with an early flurry by Murray. After Leonard hit two free throws to make it 10-7, Murray hit a 3-pointer, a 10-foot floater within the lane, one other shot from behind the arc, a step-back 16-footer and a pull-up 3-pointer to make it 23-13.

Hyland and Cancar hit 3-pointers to cap off a 12-0 run that gave Denver a 32-13 lead with a minute to go within the first quarter.

The Nuggets went forward by 23 early within the second quarter on one other 3-pointer, this one from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, earlier than Los Angeles scored 4 straight to make it 42-23.

But Denver pulled away from there, Caldwell-Pope hitting consecutive 3-pointers and Cancar scoring on a dunk earlier than the Clippers referred to as timeout down 50-23.

The Nuggets stored the strain on, nevertheless. Hyland made three free throws and a pair of 3-pointers round a layup by Bruce Brown to cap a 19-0 run that gave them a 61-23 lead with 3:57 left within the half.

George’s solely made basket within the sport, a 3-pointer with 14.8 seconds left within the half, made it 66-32 at intermission.

After Los Angeles scored 9 factors within the first two-plus minutes within the third quarter, Denver referred to as a timeout then went on a 9-0 run to make it 82-41 lower than two minutes later.

The Clippers made it 90-55 however the Nuggets ended the third quarter on a 12-4 run to guide by 43 heading to the fourth.

–Field Level Media/Reuters