Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets suffered a tough 105–102 loss in Game 2 of the first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Clippers held a three-point lead when Denver set up for their final possession. With no clear play drawn up, Christian Braun found himself wide open at the three-point line. He launched a shot to force overtime—but missed.
Nikola Jokic managed to grab the offensive rebound, but it was under the rim. As he pulled out beyond the arc and glanced at the clock, time was running out fast. He attempted a deep, contested shot with Kawhi Leonard right in his face—but the ball fell short.
The series is now tied at 1–1. The Clippers have officially stolen home-court advantage, and this one is shaping up to be a long, gritty battle.
KAWHI LEONARD WAS EVERYWHERE IN THE FINAL MINUTE!!
— NBA (@NBA) April 22, 2025
Game-icing bucket 🧊
Elite defense in multiple places 🔒
CLIPPERS WIN TO EVEN THE SERIES 1-1 🔥 pic.twitter.com/QXPSQx159x
The best player on the court was undoubtedly Kawhi Leonard. After committing seven turnovers in Game 1, The Klaw returned to his signature form—cold-blooded, precise, and unshakably focused. He hit the game-winning basket with 54 seconds left to make it 105–102.
Shortly after that, Nikola Jokic committed his seventh turnover of the night. Still, the Nuggets had one final chance—but couldn’t capitalize.
The Serbian star recorded a triple-double, dishing an assist to Michael Porter Jr. a little over four minutes before the end. Jokic was dominant throughout, but two areas let him down—he missed three straight free throws (four total) and turned the ball over too many times.
Despite that, he was clutch from the line when it mattered most—sinking two with 76 seconds left to cut the deficit to 103–102. But Leonard answered right back, and the Clippers held on.
The final seconds of Game 2 of the Clippers-Nuggets series was INSANE 🔥pic.twitter.com/QZccZttx59
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) April 22, 2025
Meanwhile, Bogdan Bogdanovic once again failed to score. Foul trouble plagued him throughout the game, limiting his rhythm and impact. Still, he came up with a critical defensive play in the fourth quarter—swiping the ball, pushing it in transition, and setting up Derrick Jones Jr. for a thunderous dunk.
On the other side, Nikola Jokic once again led Denver with 26 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists, and three steals. He shot 4/8 from three, 8/16 from the field overall, and 6/10 from the free-throw line.
Kawhi Leonard had a monster performance, dropping 39 points on 11/12 shooting from two-point range, 4/7 from deep, and a perfect 5/5 from the line. He also added three rebounds, five assists, two steals, and one block in 39 minutes.
James Harden contributed 18 points and eight assists for the Clippers in a balanced and resilient team effort.
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