NBA Playoffs: Clippers Crush Nuggets to Take Series Lead
The Los Angeles Clippers took control in the second quarter and never looked back as they beat the Denver Nuggets 117-83 in Game 3 of their playoff series. The big win gives the Clippers a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference Quarterfinals of the 2025 NBA Playoffs.
The game was played at the Intuit Dome, where the Clippers built a lead of more than 30 points and made things difficult for Denver star Nikola Jokic.
Jokic, who is from Serbia, still managed to put up strong numbers with 23 points, 13 rebounds, and 13 assists. He played for 36 minutes, including five in the final quarter, before both teams brought on their bench players for the last few minutes.
“It’s a game of runs. They had a really good one and we couldn’t recover,” Jokic said after the match. “They were better than us in every part of the game. We have to fight more, play as a team, and not give up.”
The Nuggets also suffered a blow when Russell Westbrook left the game early due to a foot injury. Two other players, Slovenian Vlatko Cancar and Croatian Dario Saric, did not play. The team is currently coached by David Adelman.
On the winning side, Croatian centre Ivica Zubac had a solid game with 19 points, nine rebounds, a block, and an assist. French forward Nicolas Batum added 12 points, five rebounds, three blocks, and two assists. Serbia’s Bogdan Bogdanovic also chipped in with two points, three assists, and one rebound.
Kawhi Leonard led the way for the Clippers with a double-double of 21 points and 11 rebounds, plus six assists. James Harden and Norman Powell each added 20 points.
The next game (Game 4) will also take place at the Intuit Dome this Saturday. Game 5 is scheduled for Tuesday in Denver at the Ball Arena.
