Clippers Dominate Nuggets: Jokics Efforts Fall Short in 117-83 Playoff Blowout

During the second quarter, the Los Angeles Clippers took control, building a lead exceeding 30 points and overwhelming Nikola Jokic, resulting in a decisive 117-83 victory over the Denver Nuggets.

This triumph at the Intuit Dome gave the Clippers a 2-1 advantage in the best-of-seven series for the Western Conference Quarterfinals of the 2025 NBA Playoffs, presented by Google.

They managed to contain Jokic, who narrowly missed a triple-double. The Serbian star recorded 23 points on a shooting performance of 9 for 14, along with 13 assists, 13 rebounds, and one steal. He played for 36 minutes, including five in the fourth quarter, before both teams substituted in their bench players for the final four and a half minutes.

“It’s all about momentum swings. They went on a great run, and we were unable to respond,” he remarked on the team’s inability to recover during a challenging stretch between the first and second quarters.

“Everyone needs to elevate their game,” Jokic asserted. “They outperformed us in every facet today. We have to unite as a team, play cohesively, and adopt a more aggressive style of basketball. We cannot retreat; we must be on the offensive.”

In addition to Jokic, who appeared disheartened by the team’s performance in Game 3, Russell Westbrook exited early due to a foot injury. Vlatko Cancar and Dario Saric, hailing from Slovenia and Croatia respectively, were also unavailable for the squad led by coach David Adelman.

Jokic displayed visible frustration on the bench during the Nuggets’ lopsided defeat to the Clippers! pic.twitter.com/HivNxvu0Oe

— Eurohoops (@Eurohoopsnet) April 25, 2025

Croatian Ivica Zubac played a pivotal role, contributing 19 points with an efficient 8 for 12 shooting from two-point range, along with nine rebounds, a block, and an assist. Frenchman Nicolas Batum added 12 points, five rebounds, three blocks, and two assists, while Serbian Bogdan Bogdanovic chipped in with two points, three assists, and one rebound.

Kawhi Leonard shone brightly for the Clippers, achieving a double-double with 21 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists. Both James Harden and Norman Powell scored 20 points each.

As the series continues at the Intuit Dome, Game 4 is scheduled for the upcoming NBA Saturday, with Game 5 taking place on Tuesday in Denver’s Ball Arena.

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