Denver Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook, right, reacts after dunking the ball for a basket as Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden looks on in the second half of Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series Saturday, April 19, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Aaron Gordon had six of his 25 points in overtime, Russell Westbrook came up with a big defensive play in the final seconds and the host Denver Nuggets rallied to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 112-110 in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series on Saturday.
“Russ is Russ,” said interim Nuggets head coach David Adelman. “Defensively, he was absolutely incredible.”
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Nikola Jokic finished with 29 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds, Jamal Murray scored 21 points, Westbrook finished with 15 and Christian Braun had 11 for the Nuggets, who host Game 2 Monday night.
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Nikola Jokić leads the Nuggets in a thrilling Game 1 victory!
🃏 29 PTS
🃏 12 AST
🃏 9 REB
🃏 3 STLDenver takes a 1-0 series lead 🔥 pic.twitter.com/OyoNvAxsz1
— NBA (@NBA) April 19, 2025
The Nuggets took a three-point lead with 2:24 left in overtime, but James Harden cut it to 105-104 on a floater in the lane. Jokic fed Braun for a 3-pointer with 59 seconds left, but Harden answered from deep with 27 seconds left.
Gordon made two free throws with 10.9 seconds left and Westbrook deflected the Clippers’ inbounds pass off of Harden. Jokic made two free throws with 6.5 seconds left to seal it.
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“Honestly, you gotta find ways to win ugly,” Gordon said. “And I think that’s what we did.”
Harden led Los Angeles with 32 points and had 11 assists, Ivica Zubac finished with 21 points and 13 rebounds, Kawhi Leonard scored 22, Norman Powell contributed 12 and Kris Dunn finished with 11.
“We’re not happy because we went to overtime like that,” said Clippers coach Tyronn Lue. “They’re a good team and we’re a good team as well. We just gotta do what we’re supposed to do. Take care of the basketball, keep them off the glass and we’ll be fine. If you turn (it) over 20 times against the team that is No. 1 in offensive transition, then you’re gonna lose the game.”
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READ: NBA: Nuggets clinch No. 4 spot, defeat Rockets
After Denver trailed for most of the game, Murray’s 3-pointer with 7:31 left in the fourth tied it at 81-all, but Los Angeles surged to an 87-81 lead.
Murray and Gordon hit 3-pointers to cut it to 92-91 with 4:19 left, then Westbrook’s putback gave Denver its first lead since the first quarter.
The Clippers went back in front 94-93 and had a chance to extend the lead, but Leonard turned it over with 33 seconds left.
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Westbrook hit a corner 3-pointer with 24 seconds left to make it 98-96, Harden tied it with a floater with 18 seconds left and the Nuggets couldn’t get a shot off before the end of the quarter.
The Clippers led by as much as 15 in the second quarter, but Denver closed the gap in the final 5:11 to trail 53-49 at halftime. The Nuggets closed within 75-72 heading into the fourth.
