Clippers falter against Nuggets and are one loss away from end of season
For the Clippers, Game 5 against the Denver Nuggets meant being one more win away from advancing in the playoffs or one more loss away from going home.
But from the start, the Clippers walked a tightrope that had them teetering all game, falling behind from the very beginning, putting stress on their defense. They were unable to contain Jamal Murray in falling behind by 22 points in the fourth quarter and unable to muster enough energy in losing 131-115 on Tuesday night at Ball Arena.
With Murray cooking the Clippers for a series-high 43 points, they trail the best-of-seven series 3-2 and are on the brink of being eliminated in the first round for the third straight season.
Now it's win Game 6 on Thursday night at the Intuit Dome or the season is over for the Clippers. If they win, then the winner-take-all Game 7 is Saturday in Denver.
But history does not favor the Clippers. The team that wins Game 5 of a tied series has gone on to win the series 81.3% of the time.
Read more:Kawhi Leonard isn't surprised Clippers and Nuggets are locked in playoff showdown
Ivica Zubac was solid with a playoff career-high 27 points. Kawhi Leonard was one rebound shy of a triple-double with 20 points, a playoff career-high 11 assists and nine rebounds.
But the Clippers had no answer for Murray, who was efficient with his shooting, going 17 for 26 from the field and eight for 14 from three-point range. He also had seven assists and five rebounds.
After Murray drilled a three-pointer and assisted Aaron Gordon on a three-pointer for a 17-point Nuggets lead, Clippers coach Tyronn Lue called a timeout with 2:35 left in the game and removed his starters.
Lue had implored his group to get off to a better start, to not have to play catchup in this road game, to not get “bored with the process.”
But the Clippers struggled in the first quarter, putting themselves in a hole from the start. They fell behind 35-23 at the end of the first. They shot just 39.1% from the field and just 14.3% (one for seven) from three-point range.
When the Nuggets' lead grew to 52-38 in the second quarter, Russell Westbrook, the former Clipper, was behind it all.
Westbrook missed Game 4 because of left foot inflammation and was sharp in his return, scoring 11 of his 16 first-half points in the second quarter and finishing with 21.
And when Westbrook scored, he frequently glared at the Clippers’ bench.
The Clippers cut their deficit to eight at the end of the first half but were sluggish to start the third quarter, putting them in a bind again.
Murray scored and Michael Porter Jr. drilled a three-pointer for a 72-59 Nuggets lead, forcing Lue to call a timeout just 1 minute 7 seconds into the third.
His team went down 84-67, then got to within eight points, but Christian Braun hit a three-pointer with 1.8 seconds left to put the Clippers in a 99-83 hole entering the fourth quarter.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
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