Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon, known for his impressive dunks, missed an open dunk in the fourth quarter of Monday night`s game against the Los Angeles Clippers. With no defenders in sight, Gordon`s dunk bounced off the back of the rim and out of bounds. This error prevented the Nuggets from taking a 99-98 lead with less than three minutes remaining, keeping the score at 98-97 in favor of the Clippers.
Ultimately, the Nuggets lost to the Clippers 105-102 in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series, tying the series 1-1. While Gordon`s missed dunk wasn`t the sole reason for the loss, it highlighted a series of mistakes the Nuggets made throughout the game.
“It felt like every time we got close, tied the game, or took the lead, we would immediately make several mistakes,” said Nuggets interim coach David Adelman. “It was an uphill battle all night.”
The Nuggets committed 20 turnovers in Game 2, the first time they`ve reached that number in a postseason game since 2022. Nikola Jokic had seven turnovers, tying his season high. The team`s turnover rate was already a concern during the regular season, and their inability to control the ball in Game 2 proved costly. Five turnovers occurred in the fourth quarter, including two in the final 1:35.
A particularly damaging play involved Michael Porter Jr., who grabbed a rebound with 1:40 left and the score tied at 100-100. Porter seemed to intend to pass to Gordon, but changed his mind at the last moment when he saw Gordon was not ready. The ball went out of bounds, and shortly after, Norman Powell hit a three-pointer, giving the Clippers a lead they wouldn`t relinquish. Porter was injured on the play and struggled to get up.
Later, with just over 30 seconds remaining, Jokic committed a crucial turnover, throwing a bad pass intercepted by Kawhi Leonard. Although the Clippers didn`t score on that possession, the Nuggets lost a chance to close the gap, and valuable time ran off the clock.
Denver also struggled at the free-throw line, missing eight of their 22 attempts. Jokic, usually a reliable free-throw shooter, went 6-for-10. As a team, the Nuggets` free-throw shooting was already a weakness in the regular season, and it resurfaced at a critical time in the playoffs.
The series between the Clippers and Nuggets has been very competitive, with the total score across two games being Clippers 115, Nuggets 114. Neither game has been decided by more than three points.
In such close matchups, execution and minimizing errors are crucial. Both teams have struggled with turnovers, with the Clippers having 20 in Game 1 and the Nuggets matching that in Game 2.
As the series moves to Los Angeles for Game 3, both teams will need to prioritize taking care of the ball.
Jasper Hawthorne