DENVER — Nikola Jokić is capable of doing it all.
For the Denver Nuggets, it’s a lot better if he doesn’t have to. He didn’t have to Tuesday night.
Sparked by a big game from Jamal Murray and a sizzling stint off the bench from Russell Westbrook, the Nuggets raced to a 131-115 Game 5 win over the Los Angeles Clippers. The win secured a 3-2 lead for the Nuggets, who can close out the first-round series on Thursday.
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Tuesday’s win saw a return to playoff form for Murray, who was instrumental in Denver’s run to the 2023 NBA championship. Hobbled by injury last postseason, Murray failed to match his prior-year form, and the Nuggets failed to advance out of the second round.
On Tuesday, Murray looked much more like his 2023 self. Murray scored 19 points in a first half that the Nuggets fully controlled en route to a 69-57 lead. He then opened the third quarter with a step-back jumper to keep the momentum rolling.
His fifth 3-pointer of the game opened the Nuggets lead to 80-63 early in the third quarter.
When the Clippers threatened a run, Murray hit his sixth 3 of the game to extend Denver’s lead back to double digits at 91-80. The Clippers never recovered.
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After a grind of a Game 4 in Los Angeles that ended with Aaron Gordon’s thrilling walk-off dunk, Denver’s offense was in prime form at home, thanks in no small part to Murray. The Clippers couldn’t keep up.
When the Clippers finally frustrated the Nuggets offense for a second straight game with zone defense in the fourth quarter, it was Murray who stopped the bleeding. He hit a free throw on a transition take foul that he followed up with a jumper to push Denver’s lead to 121-107 that all but secured the Nuggets victory
Murray finished the game with 43 points and seven assists while shooting 17 of 26 from the field and 8 of 14 from 3-point distance.
Murray wasn’t the only Nuggets hero
Westbrook was questionable until pregame warmups with a foot injury that sidelined him in Game 4. He was cleared just before tip, which turned out to be good news for the Nuggets.
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Westbrook came off the bench with 4:42 left in the first quarter and the Nuggets holding a 25-17 lead. He returned to the bench with 3:49 left in the half to an ovation from the Denver crowd. Westbrook scored 16 points in his 13-minute stint to help keep the Nuggets in control with a 58-50 lead.
Westbrook hit 3-pointers on consecutive possessions in the second quarter to extend Denver’s lead to 45-32.
An and-1 layup and made free throw capped Westbrook’s 16-point scoring run. It also brought out his trademark rock-the-baby celebration.
Westbrook finished the game with 21 points while shooting 8 of 15 from the field and 3 of 6 from 3. In a Nuggets stint that’s been marked by good Russ and bad Russ, good Russ showed up Tuesday night.
Can Nuggets close it out this time?
The Nuggets were in a similar position last season against the Minnesota Timberwolves. They won Game 5 against the Timberwolves and faced a chance to close out the series in Game 6.
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But they didn’t get the job done. The Timberwolves blew the Nuggets out in Game 6 then mounted a second-half rally in Game 7 to secure the series and stun the reigning champion Nuggets in the second round.
Nuggets coach David Adelman didn’t want to talk about the prospect of what a Game 5 win would mean for the series in his pregame news conference.
“We won this game last year,” Adelman said. “Everybody was so excited about the swing game. And then we got absolutely blown out in Game 6 and lost a really tough Game 7 in Minnesota.
“If you start thinking ahead, hey this is how the story’s going to end — if you write a conclusion, I think you’re in trouble.”
Unlike last postseason, Game 6 will be on the road for the Nuggets this time as Denver looks to close out the series in Los Angeles.
