James Harden, Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers will try to even their first-round series with Nikola Jokic, Russell Westbrook and the Denver Nuggets in Game 2 on Monday night.
Best first-round NBA playoff matchups
The For The Hoops crew discuss the most exciting first-round NBA playoff series, including Lakers vs. Timberwolves and Rockets vs. Warriors.
The 2025 NBA playoffs series between the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Clippers is one of two first-round series this year in which the favorite flipped based on the odds coming out of Game 1.
The Clippers entered the series as slight favorites, but will start Game 2 on Monday as a slight underdog after dropping Game 1 to the Nuggets in Denver. If the rematch at Ball Arena is anything like the series opener on Saturday, a thrilling nightcap could be in store.
Denver came-from-behind to take Game 1, 112-10, after a clutch 3-pointer at the end of regulation and a timely steal in the final seconds of overtime from Russell Westbrook. Reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic also finished one rebound shy of a triple-double to fend off the Clippers, who nearly pulled off the road win behind 32 points and 11 assists from James Harden.
USA TODAY Sports will provide updates, scores and highlights from Game 2 of the Clippers-Nuggets series: Game 1 of the Warriors-Rockets series:
- Clippers 75, Nuggets 69 (third quarter, 2:34)
Emotions got hot midway through the third quarter, as the Nuggets’ Jamal Murray and the Clippers’ Norman Powell started a brouhaha that involved multiple players.
Murray was only assessed a common foul for his role in the shenanigans. Powell and Kris Dunn received technical fouls, as did the Nuggets’ Christian Braun, for their involvement in the pushing and shoving.
Two of the technical fouls offset each other, so the Nuggets got to shoot a free throw.
This series might get spicy.
Kawhi Leonard hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Clippers a 55-52 halftime lead in a game that is aiming to match the excitement of a Game 1 that was decided in overtime.
Leonard was on fire in the first half, scoring a game-high 21 points on 9-for-10 shooting (2-for-3 from 3-point range). James Harden and Ivica Zubac each pitched in 10 points apiece for the Clippers.
Jamal Murray led the Nuggets in scoring in the first half with 12 points, as the Clippers held Nikola Jokic to eight points. Michael Porter Jr. added nine points for Denver.
- Minutes: 27
- Points: 27
- Rebounds: 2
- Assists: 2
- Steals: 1
- Blocks: 1
- Free throw percentage: 100% (3-3)
- Field goal percentage: 91.7% (11-12)
- 3-point percentage: 66.6% (2-3)
Game 2 of the NBA playoff series between the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Clippers is at 10 p.m. ET on Monday, April 21.
- Date: Monday, April 21
- Time: 10 p.m. ET
- Location: Ball Arena (Denver)
- TV: TNT, truTV, Max
- Stream: Max, Sling TV
Watch Nuggets vs. Clippers Game 2 with Sling TV
- PG James Harden
- SG Kris Dunn
- SF Norman Powell
- PF Kawhi Leonard
- C Ivica Zubac
- PG Jamal Murray
- SG Christian Braun
- SF Michael Porter Jr.
- PF Aaron Gordon
- C Nikola Jokić
- Game 1: Nuggets 112, Clippers 110 (OT)
- Game 2: Clippers at Nuggets | Tonight, 10 p.m. ET | TNT
- Game 3: Nuggets at Clippers | Thursday, April 24, 10 p.m. ET | NBA TV
- Game 4: Nuggets at Clippers | Saturday, April 26, 6 p.m. ET | TNT
- Game 5: Clippers at Nuggets | Tuesday, April 29, TBD | TBD*
- Game 6: Nuggets at Clippers | Thursday, May 1, TBD | TBD*
- Game 7: Clippers at Nuggets | Saturday, May 3, TBD | TBD*
➤ Complete NBA first-round playoff schedule
David Adelman, who is the team’s interim coach after Michael Malone was fired last month.
Tyronn Lue, who has coached the team the previous five seasons.
The No. 1 seeds took care of business with not much of a worry, and stars – some new, some old – showed up as the NBA playoffs opened with eight Game 1s Saturday and Sunday.
Denver’s Nikola Jokic, Indiana’s Pascal Siakam, New York’s Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards, Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams, Boston’s Derrick White, Cleveland’s Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell all showed why they are All-Star caliber players.
And of course, several teams, including the Los Angeles Lakers, need to improve in Game 2. — Jeff Zillgitt and Lorenzo Reyes, USA TODAY Sports
