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Philippines, 22 Apr 2025 |
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Denver Holds Off LA Clippers in OT, 112-110 By Teodoro Medina Reynoso PhilBoxing.com Sun, 20 Apr 2025  The fourth seeded Denver Nuggets avoided the shutout of favored home team in the opener of the Western Conference playoffs by holding off #5 Los Angeles Clippers 112-110 in an overtime. Guard Christian Braun, known more for his gravity defying sallies to the basket, broke off a close nip and tuck game less than a minute left in the extra period with a long triple off a feed by Nikola Jokic to thrust Denver to a 108-104 lead. The cushion was enough as the Clippers never came close to tying, much less overhauling the Nuggets' lead up to the final buzzer as Aaron Gordon and Jokic hit their free throws to even stretched the margin to five 112-107 before the final buzzer. Normal Powell hit a triple for LA with time winding down to peg the final count. Braun who was unfairly linked to Denver's letting go of erstwhile starting shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell Pope, proved that he was deserving of his starting spot in the team he also helped win the 2023 NBA Finals. Braun was only the fifth player to have carried his college team, the University of Kansas Bluejays and his pro team, Denver, to back to back championships in 2022 and 2023. Braun scored 11 points as he finally hit on his fourth attempt in the three points land with less than a minute to go in the overtime to break a very tight game up to that point. The regulation ended at 98-all. Early in the match, it appeared that Denver would go the way of #3 LA Lakers which lost to the #6 and visiting Minnesota Timberwolves, 117-95 despite Luka Doncic's 37 points. Seven foot center Ivica Zubac was asserting himself inside the paint notwithstanding Jokic while Kawhi Leonard and James Harden were puncturing the hoops from inside and outside to shove the Clippers to a series of sizable leads in the first half which eventually was reduced to just five, 54-49 by a determined Nuggets fightback. The same tempo was carried over in the next two quarters with the Nuggets forcing a stalemate 98-all mainly through the efforts of Jokic, Jamal Murray, Gordon and Russell Westbrook with Braun contributing from time to time as big forward Michael Porter could not seem to hit his stride. The extra period had the same makings of a slugging match until Braun hit that booming triple that provided the needed separation. Jokic led Denver with 29 points and 9 rebounds. Gordon backed him up with 25 points and 8 rebounds while Murray scored 21 points and also 9 boards Westbrook came off the bench for 15 points and 8 rebounds. Braun had 11 points. James Harden continued to smoke for the Clippers with 32 points. Leonard scored 22 points plus six rebounds. Zubac had 21 points and game high 13 rebounds. Powell added 12 points. Game two will still be held at the Ball Arena in Denver. Photo: Denver's Braun (with ball) aims for a three-point shot that went in putting enough cushion for Denver leading 108-104 with 1 minute to go in overtime. The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477. Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.  |
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