After their best performance in a non-overtime game this season, the Denver Nuggets are aiming to win back-to-back games for the first time in a month when they face the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday.
The Nuggets had been struggling with seven losses in 11 games, including one of their two defeats against the Clippers this season. However, they broke out offensively with a 141-111 road win over the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday. Nikola Jokic led the way with 48 points, 14 rebounds, and eight assists.
Jokic, who has won three MVP awards in the last four years, is aiming for another MVP this season. He currently leads the NBA in rebounds with 13.6 per game and ranks second in both points (32.3) and assists (10.2). He scored 104 points over the past two games, but his 56-point performance on Saturday ended in a loss to the Washington Wizards.
Jokic’s scoring surge comes as Jamal Murray deals with a hamstring injury that has kept him out of the past two games. Murray is expected to be questionable for Friday’s game. Dario Saric is also expected to return after missing the last two games with an ankle injury.
In his first season with the Nuggets, Russell Westbrook, who previously played for the Clippers, has averaged 6.4 assists per game. With Murray sidelined, Westbrook has stepped up, averaging 11.5 assists in the past two games.
“When Russ is out there with Nikola, he’s just always looking for him,” said Nuggets head coach Michael Malone. “He’s always trying to find him. And that makes complete sense to me. You’re playing with the best player in the world. You might want to give him the ball.”
Norman Powell has been the key player for the Clippers, averaging 32.5 points in their two wins against the Nuggets. Powell leads the Clippers with 23.6 points per game this season.
Although Powell has returned from a hamstring injury, James Harden (groin) missed Sunday’s 117-106 home loss to the Atlanta Hawks, and Terance Mann (finger) was also absent. Kawhi Leonard (knee) has not played this season but has finally returned to practice as he gets closer to making his season debut.
Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue hoped to keep the team competitive until Leonard’s return, and their 14-11 record through the first two months suggests they have done so. While Leonard won’t travel with the team for Friday’s game, his return to practice has provided a boost.
“It raised our energy just for our guys to see him on the floor,” Lue said. “It brought a juice to our team, so we needed that jolt, especially going through the schedule we’ve been through. It was really good to see him out there.”
While waiting for Leonard’s return, the Clippers have focused on defense, which is allowing only 107.4 points per game, the fifth-best mark in the NBA.
James Harden, 35, has been playing at a high level for the Clippers, averaging 21.6 points, his highest since the 2021-22 season. He has also contributed 8.5 assists and 6.8 rebounds while playing in 24 of 25 games.
