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00:00Good afternoon from Los Angeles with an important game four in this series in one of the loudest venues in the league with former MVPs ready to collide in what has been one of the best first round series in these playoffs.
00:15The NBA playoffs on NBA TV first round are presented by NerdWallet the number five seed LA Clippers of one two straight over the four seed Denver Nuggets.
00:28The winner here will play either Oklahoma City or Memphis they are caught in a tight one right now.
00:42Hi everyone Kevin Harlan the Hall of Famer Reggie Miller and we begin this afternoon with Allie LaForce.
00:48Well Kevin and Reggie this is a must win game for the Denver Nuggets and they did not know if they would have Russell Westbrook or Michael Porter Jr. tonight the team confirmed no Westbrook.
00:56He rolled his ankle prior to the game in game three only played nine minutes now for Michael Porter Jr.
01:02He will play through an extremely painful left shoulder sprain suffered a game two coach Adelman called it remarkable he played in game three at all.
01:09This is strictly a pain tolerance management injury at this point.
01:13His shoulder is also wrapped up tonight Reggie to have MBJ for spacing alone is huge especially with the pressure Nicole is facing tonight.
01:20Yeah Ali I'm wondering if the reigning MVP is going to find some consistent help.
01:24Jokic registered his 20th full season triple-double in game three and for the Clippers the momentum is surging because of the claw is back.
01:33Kawhi Leonard reminding us all why people had him down as the best two-way player in the game.
01:39Locked down defense at one end and dead eye precision shooting at the other Kevin.
01:43With the Clippers winning the opening tip and here comes James Harden.
01:47He'll have Christian Brown on him and the Clippers who have won two straight games and have momentum in this series.
01:58Leonard working on Gordon with a series of moves and a throwaway turnover.
02:03Here comes Murray into Norman Powell.
02:06Brown will tip it up and in for the Nuggets.
02:09Nice start by Denver and because of that stifling Clippers defense if you can score from your defense.
02:18Nice turnover there and Murray off to the races.
02:22Powell to Zubas and Porter is on him.
02:28It's Harden with the shot clock down to four in the corner.
02:32It's done.
02:33And they'll give Dunn that all game long.
02:38Looks like they're going to give Brown wide open looks for Denver.
02:44Jokic and Zubas.
02:46Michael Porter Jr.
02:49Bang shoulder and all as Allen just talked about.
02:52With Harden the other way.
02:53Harden has played well in this series.
02:56And kicks it in.
02:57Zubas.
02:58Cutting.
03:00Dunn.
03:00Climbing on the taller.
03:05Jokic inside.
03:06And it's off to Murray.
03:10He'll leave.
03:11He was held.
03:11He'll fire on the fly.
03:13And it's a foul call before the shot.
03:15And it's on L.A.
03:17That's on Norman Powell holding Murray as he was going downhill on that brush screen by Jokic.
03:26Defense!
03:27Defense!
03:29Defense!
03:29Defense!
03:30Defense!
03:31Defense!
03:31Defense!
03:32Defense!
03:32Defense!
03:33Defense!
03:33Brown to inbound.
03:34Here comes Gordon.
03:36Harden will defend.
03:38And up and under for two more.
03:41Now that's one area that the Nuggets and Coach Adelman kind of exploit, especially with James Harden on Aaron Gordon in the post.
03:50And that's what Harden has done throughout his career creating mismatches.
04:06Nice pass there by Jokic.
04:08Brown can't get the finish.
04:09Right at the rim.
04:10Right at the rim.
04:10Right at the rim.
04:10He had a chance.
04:11Harden the other way.
04:14And Gordon will be defending James Harden.
04:16He slithers in.
04:17Picked up by Gordon on the miss.
04:19Here comes Denver.
04:21Here comes Denver.
04:21Defense!
04:22Defense!
04:23Defense!
04:23Murray looks around.
04:27He's open from three.
04:28Leonard got the rebound.
04:33Leonard will take it down court.
04:35He'll take the three.
04:37Drive into Gordon with a nice hesitation.
04:39And Shoebox has got the rebound.
04:47Here come the Nuggets.
04:48Defense!
04:50Defense!
04:51Defense!
04:52Defense!
04:55Shoebox the rebound.
04:59By Leonard out here playing with one tennis shoe.
05:02Good afternoon from Los Angeles with an important game four in this series.
05:32One of the loudest venues in the NBA with former MVPs ready to collide in what has been one of the best first-round series in these playoffs.
05:41The five-seed Clippers have won two straight over the four-seed Denver Nuggets.
05:47So the shooting so far for both teams not that good.
05:50Clippers one of eight have started.
05:51Denver has started three of eight.
05:53They go inside.
05:54Jokic is there.
05:55Murray the assist.
05:56And with four minutes down in this first quarter, it's Denver on top by five.
06:01Coming off the loss in game three by 34 points, Reggie Miller on Thursday.
06:08And, Kev, this is very reminiscent of how game three started.
06:11Nuggets got off to that quick start.
06:13And then it all went sideways.
06:14Harden at the seven-minute spot of that first quarter.
06:19Harden like a pinball, taking it inside, bump down the play.
06:22Gordon picked up his first personal foul and moments ago.
06:26So, so far, we've seen Denver score in a number of ways.
06:31But more importantly, their defense, especially early on here, has stepped up.
06:36The winner of this series will take on the Oklahoma City Thunder, the number one seed in the NBA,
06:42who just swept Memphis.
06:44Twirling.
06:44Murray, Zubats inside.
06:46Catch it to go.
06:48He has had a magnificent season.
06:51Foul called inside.
06:53It's on Denver.
06:54Jokic will pick up his first of the game.
06:57Well, all career highs in points, rebounds, assists, and minutes for Zubats.
07:03And this is a guy, think about all the injuries that have gone down for this Clipper team
07:09when Kawhi missed so much time.
07:11And then they trade Paul George.
07:14Zubats, they started running plays for him.
07:17They got more comfortable with him.
07:18And they understand the value he brings to this Clipper team.
07:22Clippers are up two games to one in this series.
07:25With Murray on top, seven and a half in the first.
07:28Jokic will spin on Zubats.
07:30Out to Porter, bad shoulder and all.
07:33The three is down.
07:34And let's bring it out.
07:35We will force real quick to talk about the injury to Porter and no Westbrook this afternoon.
07:39That's right.
07:40You can see it significantly wrapped up.
07:42Michael Porter Jr. is playing through an extremely painful left shoulder sprain.
07:47He suffered it in game two.
07:48And Coach Adelman said he couldn't believe he even played through it in game threes in so much pain.
07:52But it's a pain management injury at this point.
07:55So it's wrapped up.
07:56But, hey, even Michael Porter Jr. at half speed is better than no Michael Porter Jr. for so many reasons, guys.
08:02We'll be back with more after the break.
08:05We're in a must-win situation.
08:07And they're doing it short-handed.
08:08Michael Porter Jr., as we mentioned right before the break, suffered a left shoulder sprain in game two.
08:14Ironically enough, in this series, that was his best game.
08:16He was just a combined three for 13 in games one and three.
08:20But he's playing through the pain.
08:21He played through it in game three, and Coach called it a significant amount of pain.
08:26You can see he has it taped up, guys.
08:28But in terms of the significance of just having him out there on the court with the shooting threat that he is,
08:33opens up so much space for Nikola Jokic.
08:35Also, no rush of Westbrook who rolled his ankle and only played nine minutes in game three.
08:42All right, here we go.
08:43Norman Powell has got it.
08:45Just under seven to go in the first quarter.
08:48Leonard, who's been spectacular in this series, is defended, poked away by Murray.
08:52He always has his hands going.
08:55He had one steal early on.
08:56Here's another turnover by the Clippers.
08:58Three on one.
08:59It goes off to Brown.
09:01It got wedged up there on the feed from Porter.
09:03Here comes Harden.
09:04Cross-court Kawhi.
09:06That long reach.
09:07He vacuums it in.
09:08And Porter's got the rebound.
09:09Yeah, but it's those type of possessions and fast breaks that Denver has to have.
09:14Here's one by Jokic with the finger roll.
09:16So, that's back-to-back transition opportunity with the Nuggets going one for two.
09:22This is Denver's largest lead in this series.
09:26Up by nine right now.
09:28A lot of isolation here to start this game offensively for the Clippers.
09:32Harden coming off a 20-point game.
09:35Zubat's on top with a couple double-doubles.
09:37He throws it inside the lane.
09:39It was picked off by Jokic.
09:40It is a Denver foul.
09:42At the 6-0-4 mark of this first quarter this afternoon from Los Angeles, the fouls on Porter.
09:49It is his first.
09:50There were no changes by either side.
09:52There you look at interim head coach David Adelman, who takes the plays of Michael Malone.
09:56Let go just before the end of the regular season.
10:00It's Powell.
10:00He'll put up a long shot.
10:01It's a three.
10:03Rebound Dunn.
10:04Kicks it out.
10:06Harden with the three.
10:08Give credit to Chris Dunn, one of the better offensive rebounding guards in our game.
10:14Creating that second shot opportunity for James Harden and the Clippers.
10:18Denver lost, game three, 117-83 here in this building.
10:25That's a push by Harden.
10:27It's a foul on James.
10:28Murray hits the deck.
10:30Harden picks up his first for L.A.
10:36Five-and-a-half to go.
10:39Here goes David Aliband.
10:40You could have not ascripted a better start for the Nuggets here in game four, being down 2-1.
10:47He told us, Reggie, we've got to have more patience and be less reactionary.
10:53Murray inside.
10:54Slithers inside.
10:55Tip in there.
10:56Jokic puts it through.
10:59Messi's going to have to have a huge game.
11:03Kawhi Leonard.
11:06All right.
11:07Play by Kawhi.
11:08Jamal Murray, we know some of his playoff games have been huge, especially during that championship run.
11:16He's got to be a big factor offensively here for Denver.
11:21Murray had 23 in game three.
11:23Harden will be on him.
11:24Zubats will go out on Jokic.
11:26Off to Brown.
11:29Set.
11:29Fires.
11:30Three.
11:30No.
11:31Rebound Harden.
11:33They will give Brown those shots.
11:37All series long.
11:38In the corner.
11:39Done three for three.
11:42He parachutes and slams.
11:45Hawaii Leonard coming out of nowhere with those big mid-hands and finishing.
11:56Murray held by Dunn.
11:59Jokic trying to block him out.
12:00Does.
12:01Shot clock at six.
12:02Murray into Zubats.
12:04No.
12:05It's picked up by Harden.
12:08Powell fought three.
12:10Drives into Jokic.
12:11Cross court.
12:12Dunn.
12:12Three from three.
12:13It's Murray inside.
12:17Boy, Dunn has had three.
12:19Great corner look.
12:21Gordon pile drives his way down the lane.
12:26Gordon has got four.
12:29Jokic has hit all three of his shots.
12:32Denver by six.
12:33Leading by nine.
12:34Clippers haven't led yet.
12:37Leading the series two games to one.
12:40It's Zubats on top.
12:42And here comes James Harden.
12:4435-year-old former MVP.
12:46Brown is on him.
12:49Shot clock at one for Zubats.
12:52From where Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is smiling at Zubats.
12:57I think we're all smiling at him.
12:58Oh, my goodness.
12:59That's old school.
13:00Old school shot.
13:01You're right.
13:02Skyhook there by Zubats.
13:04Defense!
13:06Defense!
13:07Murray.
13:08Down defending.
13:09He jumped.
13:10He came down.
13:11He drives.
13:12Oh, he's getting push-wacked inside, but he got it to go.
13:15That's 10 out of 10 degree of difficulty there by Jamal Murray.
13:19One of five so far for him.
13:21Here comes Leonard.
13:23And Porter's on him.
13:24Doubled by Gordon with the blitz.
13:26He'll give it to him.
13:27Dunn is open.
13:28Fakes the three off to Zubats.
13:30And on top to Powell.
13:32What a remarkable season he's had.
13:34He throws it right there as he glides in for two.
13:37What a beautiful Euro step there by Norman Powell.
13:41And you're right, Kev.
13:42In my opinion, should have been an all-star this year.
13:45Wasn't.
13:46But career numbers in that starting role.
13:49We used to see him coming off the bench.
13:52He has been fantastic in the starting role.
13:55Defense!
13:56Defense!
13:56Defense!
13:56Defense!
13:57Defense!
13:57Defense!
13:58Gordon open from three.
14:01And Aaron Gordon puts it in.
14:0215 points in game three.
14:0414 in game two.
14:0625 in game one.
14:09It's Kawhi Leonard.
14:11Tip in Zubats.
14:12No.
14:13A lot of traffic in there.
14:14But he collects the offensive rebound.
14:16There's a timeout taken by the Clippers.
14:202.06 to go.
14:22He's battled a bad knee.
14:24But come back in his 12th NBA season.
14:27Looking spry and playing that way.
14:30As he hammers it home for the L.A. Clippers.
14:36We're back this afternoon in Los Angeles with the NBA on TNT.
14:40Brought to you by the Kia Telluride X-Line.
14:44Kia, the official automotive partner of the NBA.
14:46We've got a lot of former MVPs in this one.
14:51Including the three-time winner, Nikola Jokic.
14:54They have brought in Jalen Pickett.
14:57Denver has.
14:58They've also brought in Rado Chanchar.
15:02Two substitutions.
15:03Powell muscling in.
15:04Derrick Jones is in the game for the Clippers.
15:07Harden outside.
15:08Shot clock violation.
15:09Nice defense by Denver.
15:10Denver on that inbound by L.A.
15:13Now, Denver, Reggie, has not turned the ball over yet.
15:19They've got seven assists and no turnover.
15:22And in their fast break points, which are huge this afternoon,
15:268-0 so far, they led the NBA in fast break points.
15:31We didn't see any of that production in three-and-a-half quarters of game three.
15:37But tonight, locked and loaded to the game plan here.
15:42Ben Simmons is in.
15:43He is defending Jokic right now.
15:46Clashing at the ball.
15:47Leeson's inside.
15:48Nick Batum is in.
15:50He gathers it up.
15:51And here comes Harden.
15:53That's defense there by Simmons.
15:55Weaving is Harden.
15:57Giving up size and weight going against Jokic.
16:01Harden is the only starter on the floor.
16:03Bogdanovich is in.
16:04It's free.
16:05Good.
16:06Off with this.
16:07That's what he does so well.
16:08At 32 years of age, he is a sharpshooter.
16:11And has been struggling in this series.
16:13He has a steal by Harden to Simmons.
16:18The second unit for the Clippers.
16:21One of the best in the game.
16:23They've got a little bit of everything.
16:24Defense.
16:25Shooting by Bozjanovic.
16:27They have been very impactful.
16:31Look at this.
16:34Here's the advantage that Jokic has.
16:38But at 6'10", Simmons can guard him.
16:41And he can do this.
16:41Switch out on guard.
16:43Pickett.
16:44Change our one shot into fire.
16:46Pickett has it.
16:48Off in time.
16:49Out of bounds.
16:50Good defense by the Clippers.
16:51They actually called a shot clock violation.
16:54It's clogging up now for Denver.
17:01Bogdanovich struggling with his three.
17:04Sees his first one to go.
17:05And here's the deflection steal by Harden.
17:08And gets it to Simmons with the finish.
17:10Pickett is out.
17:12Murray back in.
17:14Harden the drive.
17:15And sidestepping the D.
17:17Ball strip knocked out of bounds.
17:19It is LA's ball and 15 on the clock.
17:23Want to get our referees in this afternoon.
17:25Our crew chief is Zach Zarba.
17:26Our referee, Sean Wright.
17:28Our umpire, Nick Booker.
17:31Skart Fodoski is the alternate.
17:33Replay center.
17:34Ben Taylor.
17:36Justin Van Dyn.
17:38And Harden to inbound.
17:39Bogdanovich a two.
17:42And the rebound by Jokic.
17:43He's already got four.
17:45That's the Nuggets to play for one.
17:50Aaron Gordon.
17:51White cap is still a concern.
17:53What a start for Gord.
17:54Three of four.
17:55Seven points.
17:55Simmons once again on Jokic.
18:01Now Simmons will switch on Murray.
18:03And they throw it away.
18:05But it was tipped out of bounds by LA.
18:071.9 shot clock and 3.8 on the first quarter clock.
18:12Ben Simmons making a difference here defensively for the Clippers.
18:17Good point.
18:18Chanjar out.
18:19Porter back in.
18:231.9 to shoot.
18:24Zubats will check in.
18:27Simmons will check out.
18:28I like this.
18:29Putting more size against Jokic.
18:31Give Simmons a lot of credit here.
18:34As he heads to the bench.
18:37Murray looking for Porter.
18:39He finds it in the court.
18:401.8.
18:47That's two great plays in the span of a minute by James Harden.
18:53Three at the steal for Simmons.
18:56And then the block shot with the shot clock running down.
18:59Clippers one of the reasons why they're here.
19:01They have a third rated defense in the NBA.
19:04One of the best.
19:05Look at Zubats.
19:07That's what he's looking for over the top.
19:10Two out of bounds.
19:11No one touched it.
19:12And so Denver's going to inbound right by their bench.
19:15Right in front of their bench.
19:16In front of their goal here.
19:18And a lot of time to get a look at.
19:21Nuggets, if they can win this game, will regain home court.
19:26But they're down two games to one.
19:31Look for a down screen here from Jokic on Derek Jones.
19:34And it's off to Jokic.
19:38A three over Zubat.
19:40Oh, he got it.
19:41Right at the buzzer.
19:43Jokic nails it.
19:45And puts the Nuggets on top by five.
19:49With a pretty shot that was defended.
19:52He is terrific from three.
19:55Arguably the best shooting big man in the game.
19:58Carl Anthony Towns probably has something to say about that.
20:01But Jokic, what a beautiful shot.
20:05With the shot clock running down.
20:07Denver only shot 27% from threes in game three.
20:12Good start here this afternoon with the playoffs on TNT.
20:15Presented by Google.
20:23Games to one, but they've not led yet in the first quarter.
20:26Down by five to the second we go.
20:28Allie LaForce moments ago with the Nuggets' Christian Brown.
20:33Turnover battle.
20:34You're winning the fast break points.
20:35The points in the paint.
20:36How did you settle in and regain control of this?
20:39We're getting organized.
20:40We're doing a good job of taking care of the ball.
20:41We just got to continue to do it for four quarters.
20:43Defensively, how are you forcing them into the shot selection that you want to see?
20:46They shot under 40% as a team in that first quarter.
20:48We're picking up.
20:49We're being physical.
20:49I think last game we weren't physical enough.
20:51But we're doing a really good job of being physical with those guys.
20:53We got to continue to do it.
20:54Thanks, TV.
20:55Of course.
20:55Nice play by DeAndre Jordan moments ago for Denver.
21:00Slamming it in against the team that he played for for so long.
21:03The L.A. Clippers.
21:04There's a ball.
21:05Throw down low.
21:06And a foul called.
21:07Murray will pick it up for the Nuggets.
21:09Seven-point Denver lead.
21:11They've led by nine in this game.
21:12Man, this is what's interesting now for David Alavan.
21:16Every time Jokic goes to the bench, the Nuggets net rating, when Jokic is on the floor, they are a plus ten and a half when he's off a minus nine-point three.
21:27Tightening in.
21:28Jones!
21:28Somehow, someway, he willed it in.
21:32That's against a seven-footer shot blocker.
21:35And Jordan, what a beautiful move there by Jones.
21:40The second-year picket is in the game.
21:42DeAndre Jordan with the screen.
21:44Porter on the floor.
21:45They've also got on the floor Peyton Watson and Murray.
21:48That's the Denver five.
21:49It's out to Porter.
21:50Fakes the three.
21:50Takes it in.
21:51A lot of traffic.
21:52Underneath, he is looking for Jordan.
21:53Knocked away.
21:55Foul called on the Clippers inside with about a minute gone here in the second quarter.
22:02How about this move here by Jones Jr.?
22:05He sees exactly where Jordan is.
22:09And this should have been an alley-oop again to DeAndre Jordan.
22:13I like the unselfish play there by Porter Jr.
22:15But when you're driving in and Jordan Mann comes up to block the shot, you've got to throw that to the rim.
22:23Ben Simmons picked up his first personal foul.
22:26At the free-throw line is DeAndre Jordan.
22:30Ten seasons a Clipper.
22:32He played 37 playoff games for this franchise.
22:37And they've got that big wall that everybody talks about.
22:40And Reggie and Allie and I were looking at some of the numbers.
22:44There's the lowest free-throw percentage by an opposing team when looking at the wall shooting free-throws.
22:50Yeah, but even if the wall wasn't there with DeAndre Jordan, those still would be 0 for 2.
22:56Now, let's not get ahead of ourselves.
22:58We're just trying to help a veteran.
22:59The wall created those two misses there by Jordan.
23:03Here's Kawhi Bogdanovich.
23:0513-footer.
23:06Simmons will try to save it and does not.
23:10Out of bounds with the ball.
23:11He is slow to get up.
23:13Fell on a photog's lap and he jumps back up and hurdles his body down court.
23:17And here come the Denver Nuggets.
23:20Both teams finishing with identical 50 and 32 records this season.
23:25Pick it around traffic.
23:26Bogdanovich is there.
23:27A fake, a lean, and a fadeaway.
23:33Jordan trying to get it.
23:34That's another clipper foul inside.
23:36He had defenders trained on both shoulders.
23:39The minutes that Jordan has been on the floor, so productive.
23:44Again, I gave you the numbers when Jokic goes to the bench.
23:47Jordan talked about the alley-oop finish.
23:51They're just trying to find some rest points, aren't they?
23:54Rest minutes.
23:55But you've got to have some type of...
23:59Produce a little bit in that center position, and Jordan's doing just that.
24:05Murray three.
24:06Struggling.
24:07One of six now for Murray.
24:10Simmons, the long strides.
24:11The bad pass to Bogdanovich.
24:13Saves it from going over the line.
24:16And the veteran Bogdanovich, eight years out of Serbia,
24:19will weave his way into the pain and overpick it.
24:23He'll put him in the loose.
24:26Talk about to give it a score now.
24:27I think this is a perfect place for Bogdanovich to come off the bench here
24:31and just be aggressive offensively.
24:35Trade deadline acquisition by the Clippers.
24:37Cross over Murray.
24:38Inside.
24:39Offhand.
24:40Fouled as he was swaggering down the lane.
24:44With a Denver three-point lead.
24:46Download the FanDuel Sportsbook app today.
24:49And make every playoff moment mean more on America's number one sportsbook.
24:54With Murray at the free throw line.
24:57Foul number three on Ben Simmons.
25:00He's not played that much.
25:02I'm wondering how many minutes he's even played here.
25:04Four minutes, three fouls.
25:06And Ben will check out.
25:08And they'll go back to Zubats in the middle.
25:12Yeah, but those fouls are expendable for Simmons.
25:15He's out there for his defense, his passing.
25:20Now gets a boss two in a row in this series.
25:23After combining their third consecutive 50-win season.
25:27See if Kawhi now can kind of get going.
25:34Games two and three.
25:36Very efficient in terms of scoring the basketball.
25:39Only two of six to start this ballgame.
25:41They were boards and Leonard.
25:42Zubats on top.
25:43Jared Jones over Jordan.
25:46How about the length?
25:55Jared Jones on Jamal Murray.
25:57Here comes Murray.
26:03With games of 23, 23, and 21 in this series.
26:06Doubling a mare.
26:08They swing it around.
26:10Watson.
26:11Tipped out by Jordan.
26:12But right back to Bogdanovich.
26:14The stutter step, the jab, and the two-point shot.
26:18Murray will come up with it.
26:19And he's off to the races.
26:21Nuggets down the middle.
26:22Led by Jamal Murray.
26:23Off to Porter.
26:24Oh, a swarm of defenders right there.
26:28It's Pickett.
26:29And Murray again.
26:31And Jones is on him.
26:32And the shot clock is down to eight.
26:35Murray, the stutter step and the drive inside.
26:38It's picked up by Bogdanovich.
26:40The tomb open.
26:44Three.
26:45Yeah!
26:46Yeah!
26:48To L.A.
27:06First-round coverage on TNT is presented by NerdWallet.
27:10Now, Bogie will get the assist on this, but Zubats also should get an assist.
27:16When your bigs run the floor like that and occupy two, it creates space out there on the floor.
27:22And, Ali, you have a little bit more on Zubats?
27:25Yes, when we spoke before the game, he said his postgame is the part of his game that's evolved the most.
27:30He said, teams are double-teaming me now.
27:32So just reading the defense, seeing where the cutters are, seeing where the shooters are,
27:35and making the right play, and then when they don't double me, going to work.
27:39The most fascinating thing he told me was, when we play a team,
27:42we pull Nikola Jokic clips of what they did against him and how he passes and plays out of it.
27:47And that's where I learned how to be a great player in the post.
27:50So he's taken a couple notes from the Joker.
27:54Averaging a double-double. Here he is. They go inside.
27:57Leonard sideswiped as he fired. He's slow to get up, but he does get up.
28:01Each team now has put up about 30 shots.
28:05They've made 13, under 8 to go.
28:08Second quarter, Gordon out to Porter.
28:10AC joint sprain, left shoulder, but that one right there sails through from 3.
28:16Second May 3, 8 points on the afternoon here by Porter Jr.
28:23Showing no ill side effects from that shoulder injury.
28:27Clipper bench, outscoring the Denver bench, 14-3.
28:30A little step back to his left against a premier defender in Kawhi Leonard.
28:39Gordon just picked up his second personal foul.
28:42Just think about Porter Jr. in these playoffs.
28:44Game 1, only 3 points, 1-0-4.
28:47Game 2, 15 and 15.
28:4915 points, 15 rebounds, but that's when he got injured in that shoulder towards a closing moment in Game 3.
28:56The pain was too much, only 7 points on 2 of 9 shooting for Porter Jr.
29:01Jordan out, Jokic in, Watson out, Brown in, in the corner.
29:05Bogdanovich free.
29:06Rebound by Jokic.
29:09Jokic putting together one of the greatest individual seasons in the history of the NBA,
29:13but the ball's taken right there.
29:15Here's Bogdanovich.
29:17It's Batum, the trailing Jones.
29:22And Zubac inside.
29:24Rebound Jokic.
29:26He's got 6.
29:29Free-time MVP Jokic.
29:30Leonard defending Gordon.
29:34That's the net.
29:35Oh, I can't believe it.
29:38It looked like all he did was pull the chair and Gordon went down.
29:44Let's see if he pulled him at all.
29:46Oh, absolutely not.
29:48I'm surprised they're not going to take a look at this.
29:556.52 to go here in the second quarter.
29:58Leonard picks up his first.
30:00So the starters are out there for the Denver Nuggets.
30:12And a lot of the starters are out there for the Clippers, including Harden who's in now
30:16and he watches Brown.
30:18Zubac's on top and he defends Jokic, who takes it hard into two, up and down.
30:23Nikola Jokic with a big-time bulldozing play.
30:26Double figures now with 11.
30:31Jones in the corner, but two and three.
30:35Rebound Jones off his fingertip.
30:37Gordon will come out of the pack.
30:39And he'll go the other way for the Nuggets, Brown, and start!
30:42He'll sail and hammer it home.
30:46Again, giving the Clippers one look at the basket, and it's off to the races.
30:51Remember, during the regular season, this Nugget team was number one in pace.
30:57Denver's on a 7-0 run in the corner.
30:59Kawhi has a three.
31:01He's going to get him going.
31:04His third field goal up to seven now for Kawhi.
31:08And that's going to be another foul on Kawhi Leonard.
31:11His second.
31:12Yep.
31:14Trying to dislodge Aaron Gordon.
31:18Denver's now on the bonus.
31:215.56 in the second quarter.
31:23And that foul sends Gordon to the free-throw line.
31:27So you have almost six minutes of bonus action now for the Nuggets.
31:33So the Denver Nuggets finished the regular season 3 and 4.
31:38They fired their coach, Michael Malone.
31:40Reggie, bring us back a little bit and give us your thoughts on how the end of the season went for Denver,
31:46where they are, and where they could be going.
31:48Well, I think that took us all by surprise.
31:50He's a championship coach of Michael Malone's pedigree.
31:54I believe he was the third-longest tenured coach at the time.
31:5811 years.
31:59And then the news dropped of, you know, noise coming out of Denver is that he had lost the locker room.
32:07And what I love, and I've always loved about Michael Malone, he always held the players accountable.
32:13Calvin Booth sent the door as well.
32:16Leonard three.
32:17It's off of Denver, ricochets off the shoulder, it looked like, of Gordon, and it'll be L.A.'s ball.
32:25But what I also don't like, it puts Coach David Adelman in a very difficult position, right?
32:31To try to regather momentum this late in the season as you're getting ready for playoffs.
32:36You were a top-four team in a loaded West, and you let go of a championship coach like Michael Malone.
32:43That's a difficult spot to be in if you're David Adelman.
32:47Harden throws it away with a turnover.
32:49Brown got it, and he'll take it the other way for Denver.
32:52Off to Murray.
32:53Here's a three.
32:55Batum, the rebound.
32:56One of eight for Jamal Murray.
33:00And again, I know people are saying, nice over-cocked look there by Harden to Leonard.
33:06Yes, Murray has scored 20-plus points in the first three games of the series, but they have not been those impactful points that we're used to seeing by Murray.
33:16Murray, a 15-footer with a lot of traffic.
33:19Leonard has nine points.
33:21Grabs the ball, takes it the other way, slides into Jokic, throws by Gordon, puts up the shot, and picked up by Michael Porter, Jr.
33:30Under five to go.
33:34It's Jokic.
33:37Subban's will defend.
33:39Into Gordon.
33:41Knocked away by Harden.
33:43With a shot clock at 10, James Harden.
33:46Number 11, all-time leading scorer in the history of the NBA at 35 years.
33:55He's from L.A., played high school in the area.
33:58Our L.A. High School Player of the Year.
34:00Artesia High School.
34:04Batum defending.
34:06Shot clock at five.
34:07Jokic inside.
34:10He's 6 of 7, Reg.
34:11So efficient to go along with six rebounds and two assists.
34:17In game three, L.A. made 18 threes.
34:20Harden will die, even score.
34:23It looks like Coach Lou is almost taking the approach with Jokic.
34:28Going to make you just a score.
34:30He can make you a score and have double-digit assists.
34:33He only has two assists.
34:35Leonard will poke it away, 4-0-2 here in the second.
34:42Moments ago, Ty Lue, the coach of the Clippers, to his team.
34:47Come on, Leonard!
34:51First, let's make sure we get to our spots, all right, in our spaces.
34:54Don't let the pressure speed us up, all right?
34:56Get to our spots, we can pick them apart.
34:58We're playing random basketball, we're not in our spots, we're not good, all right?
35:02Get to our spots, take our time.
35:04Murray.
35:06It's a two.
35:09And Denver's on top by six, they've led by nine, two spots at the other end for L.A.
35:15There's a timeout and 3.43 to go in the second quarter.
35:24With the NBA this afternoon on TNT, brought to you by Real Flavor, Real Ingredients, Chipotle for real.
35:32Thousands of high school jerseys from across California here, including Riverside Poly Tech.
35:40And I'm trying to figure out who.
35:41Well, that's not Riverside Poly.
35:44That might be Long Beach Poly.
35:46That wasn't yours.
35:50No.
35:51That's not our color.
35:52I only read the cards.
35:54I only read the cards.
35:55See, that's what they're trying to survive to check on me.
35:58They should let me know.
35:59Three and a half in the half.
36:01Gordon's got the ball.
36:03Clippers haven't left.
36:04Oh, oh, oh.
36:05Look out.
36:05Hold on.
36:06Oh, oh.
36:07As they go head over heels like a ragdoll, both Porter and Batum in there with some acrobatics.
36:15That's 36-year-old Nick Batum.
36:18Oh, man.
36:18Showing flexibility.
36:20The Olympian.
36:21On his head and neck.
36:22This is so scary right here.
36:24And having been in this situation plenty of times.
36:27But did you see how Batum jumped up and he helped up Porter when he was the one who tumbled?
36:32Because it was a scary play for him as well.
36:34For both.
36:34For both.
36:34Yes.
36:35Absolutely.
36:37Absolutely.
36:39I'm just wondering the pain in the threshold for Porter Jr. right now.
36:45Let me ask you.
36:46He's a right-handed shooter.
36:47It's a left shoulder injury.
36:48Is there an effect on your shooting with the different shoulders?
36:51Not really.
36:52It's all about pain.
36:53But remember now, it's not just on the left shoulder.
36:56It's going through his neck, both shoulders, his upper back.
37:03It's Powell finding Zubats who locates in the corner.
37:06Batum.
37:07The three won't go.
37:08Batum with the volleyball.
37:09And Batum will get it after Zubats knocked it out.
37:12They're done.
37:13Three.
37:14Rebound.
37:14Jokic.
37:15Run now 0 for 4 from distance.
37:19And all have been really good looks.
37:21Thornton is doing a good job of picking up fouls on Kawhi Leonard.
37:25And now Batum.
37:26Nick Batum sending him back to the free-throw line.
37:30I think Batum said, I just backed up.
37:33I didn't.
37:33There was very little to watch it again.
37:35That's what Kawhi said early, too.
37:36Oh, yeah.
37:36His left hand.
37:37Yep.
37:37His left hand wrapped around that weight area.
37:43Nice job here by Gordon.
37:45Trying to get into double figures now with 10.
37:48He's an 81% free-throw shooter.
37:50Let's take a look at the upcoming playoff schedule.
37:52And tonight on ABC, the Houston Rockets will take on the Warriors in a series tied at 1.
37:57Then tomorrow on ABC, Knicks in Detroit.
38:00Lakers will be in Minnesota.
38:02And for more on these games, go to the NBA app or NBA.com.
38:071-2 on the free-throws there.
38:09Dunn the other way.
38:10He was drafted by Minnesota.
38:11Number 5 overall.
38:13It's Harden.
38:15It's Dunn.
38:16Finally.
38:17That's what he's saying.
38:19And they're going to continue to give Chris Dunn these looks.
38:22He's got to make them pay.
38:24Getting his first three to go this afternoon.
38:27He was 5 of 13 coming in from 3 this afternoon.
38:311 of 5.
38:32Jokic cutting.
38:33Losing.
38:34Bobbling.
38:35Loose.
38:35It's snared right there by Harden.
38:37On the run.
38:39Dunn.
38:39Corner.
38:39It's Batum.
38:41It's kicked up inside.
38:42The aggressive Dunn.
38:43Zubats.
38:45And we've got a foul on both Porter.
38:47Double foul on Porter Jr.
38:49And Norman Powell.
38:51Yep.
38:53Now they're having words with one another between Porter Jr. and Powell.
39:02Norman Powell has been one of the great stories this season in the league.
39:07You mentioned it.
39:08Career year.
39:09You almost voted for him as an all-star.
39:11He's improved his scoring over eight points a game from last season to this.
39:16Well, all about opportunity.
39:18And he even mentioned that with the exodus of Paul George to Philadelphia.
39:23And then the injury to Kawhi Leonard.
39:25It's been all about Norman Powell being the leading scorer on this Clippers team.
39:29The fearless Harden takes it into a thicket of defenders and a whistle and a foul.
39:33It will be on Denver.
39:37It's on Michael Porter Jr.
39:39And he'll pick up his third.
39:42And that will put Harden at the free throw line.
39:46Harden in this series from the stripe.
39:50Here's the second L.A. Clipper free throw.
39:54Harden at the line for the first time this afternoon.
39:57And now 11 of 13 in the series.
40:01Don't miss a playoff moment with the NBA app.
40:04Download the app today for the latest scores, the highlights, and all the behind-the-scenes action you want.
40:11All the drama right there in the NBA app.
40:14Harden again.
40:15When you look at the difference in free throws, only three free throw attempts for the Clippers.
40:22Ten for the Nuggets.
40:23But the problem is they've only made six of them.
40:27Gordon driving on Harden.
40:29The collision to Zubac.
40:30The feed to Jokic.
40:32With a foul.
40:33How did Gordon get that through?
40:35I don't know.
40:36All those defenders behind his back to Jokic.
40:42Jokic has had two straight triple doubles in this series.
40:47He's got 20 in his playoff career.
40:49And you can see this number of the highest percentage of team points created.
40:56And Jokic is right there.
40:58Career highs, Reggie.
40:59And scoring in assists and steals this season for the three-time MVP.
41:04You and I have been together 12-plus years in this position.
41:07You and I, we don't have a vote for any of the awards.
41:10But we did have a vote.
41:11We did, but we don't know.
41:12So that's why I've got to ask you.
41:14Because to me, it's a two-man race.
41:17Who are you leaning?
41:18You've seen a lot of basketball.
41:19Who are you leaning towards?
41:21Well, I mentioned this before.
41:22One of the greatest individual seasons in the history of the league.
41:26But what Shea did was incredible in Oklahoma City.
41:29And their team was number one.
41:32Zubac will flush inside.
41:34He's got nine.
41:35People, we've kind of gotten away from team success as well.
41:40And you've got to look at that with Shea as well.
41:45If it were me, and it isn't.
41:47If it were me, I'd do co-MVPs.
41:49It's Jokic.
41:51Dunn will defend.
41:53Porter will bubble up and crumble it out of bounds.
41:56With 1.29 to go in the half.
41:58Kind of the problem that we saw in game three with Denver.
42:03Playing well, and then the turnovers start to creep up.
42:06And that's how the Clippers got back in the ballgame
42:09and then eventually ended up blowing them out by 34.
42:12Porter's going to check out.
42:13Watson has checked in for the Nuggets.
42:15Harden inside and Zubac.
42:21Look at him.
42:21He's doubled.
42:22He's in a torture chamber.
42:23Trying to get away.
42:24Wow.
42:26Nice defense by Denver.
42:27Here comes Murray.
42:30The tomb is on him.
42:35Murray has played the most minutes in this series.
42:38Watson down low.
42:39Just checked in.
42:40A nice pass.
42:41Great passing.
42:43And Watson gets the hockey assist.
42:45With the feed coming from Jokic.
42:47And Brown has got eight for the Denver Nuggets.
42:49Third assist for Jokic to go with those 15 points, eight rebounds.
42:56Leaving his pal.
42:58He'll cut with a nice left-handed layup.
43:01That's his second Euro step.
43:02The first one in that first quarter went right.
43:04Pal with the left-footed Euro.
43:09Pal now up to seven.
43:11We have so many great stars on both of these teams on display, like this guy.
43:16Murray, defended by Harden.
43:22Zubac is on Murray.
43:25And a long two.
43:27Zubac the rebound.
43:29They can run out the clock.
43:30Run out the half.
43:31The Clippers have not lagged.
43:34They're down by two.
43:35They've trailed by nine.
43:37We've had one tie.
43:39Harden with it.
43:41Brown will defend.
43:42Scream Zubac.
43:43Foul right there with Denver having a foul to give.
43:46Oh, we got pushing.
43:48Oh, we got a shove.
43:49And it's right in front of us.
43:54See, if you're Gordon, you don't need it.
43:58As valuable as you've been playing.
44:01Aaron Gordon does not need this.
44:05There was some pushing and shoving.
44:08Harden took exception to the foul by Christian Brown.
44:13And Gordon got involved.
44:16By the way, this crew, this officiating crew, was in Detroit with us on Thursday
44:23and trying to separate the Knicks and Pistons.
44:25And now they come into this crucible of emotion.
44:30That's not that hard of a foul by Christian Brown.
44:32Playoff passion, and they have to break up.
44:35I mean, that was a foul they had to give.
44:36See, Harden, with the shove on Gordon, that's what got him going.
44:40This is why Aaron Gordon went ballistic.
44:44It was because of the shove, push, whatever you want to call it, from Harden.
44:51And that happened right in front of us.
44:53We've got the best seats in the house.
44:55I wish it would have happened in front of Jeff Van Gundy.
44:58He may have leapt in there and been like Edward Carpentier,
45:02the flying wrestler from yesteryear.
45:04There's the foul.
45:06Yep.
45:06Oh, maybe Gordon came in first with a little bit of a shove on Harden.
45:21What you don't want is an ejection from anyone.
45:24This game means too much on both sides here.
45:28Well, yet Denver, if they win, would reclaim home court in this series.
45:31It's huge.
45:33In game two, we had a bit of a skirmish.
45:36As you take a look at Jeff Van Gundy, who's the brother of Stan Van Gundy.
45:41Oh, look at this.
45:42And here's Powell and Murray.
45:46Oh, picked him up.
45:49I think he was just trying to say, hey, I can do some lifting if I need to.
45:53There might have been a punch there by Aaron Gordon to Norman Powell.
46:00And here we only had six seconds left in the half.
46:02And yet it was boiling over in the first and culminated right before halftime with what we just saw.
46:14That was a punch by Harden, wasn't it?
46:17The left hand?
46:19I don't know if it's a punch.
46:20I mean, punch is probably, it was a lukewarm.
46:22Yeah.
46:23I mean, it looks more like a punch.
46:26There's an arm bar and.
46:27No, that's a shove and push.
46:29Yeah, that wasn't a punch.
46:30That was just a shove.
46:32But it does make.
46:34He does kind of connect to his beard a little, right?
46:36That's to the neck area.
46:39But they're clamoring for the push on Aaron Gordon to Norma Powell coming up right there.
46:45That's why they think Aaron Gordon should be ejected.
46:51Look, double foul.
46:54Let's call it a day.
46:55Get to the halftime and move on.
46:57That's all this is.
46:58Don't go.
46:59I hope the officials right now are not going by letter of the law.
47:03I mentioned this the other night, but Zach Zarba is about the most respected crew chief in the NBA.
47:08He is the.
47:09And he handled the theatrics in Detroit.
47:13And there was a lot of them.
47:15Against the Knicks.
47:16Yes, he did.
47:17In that Detroit-New York series.
47:18There was a lot of them in that game.
47:20I think you're going to get a tech on Gordon, a tech on Brown, a tech on Harden, Norman Powell.
47:30I think Jokic will get a technical foul.
47:33Well, I'm just praying no one is ejected for something like this.
47:47Yeah, it was clearly a shot by Harden.
47:49It was not a punch.
47:50And you can see them.
47:52I don't think it was a punch by Aaron Gordon to Norman Powell either.
47:58Though, when you watch it on the replay, it does look like that.
48:01And we've got to show you the one with Aaron Gordon and the contact he made to Norman Powell's face.
48:24Because that's why the fans here are saying kick him out.
48:31Oh, no, that's accidental.
48:34Please, no.
48:35Powell kind of ran in as Gordon was trying to.
48:40I hope he's not gone.
48:42If he's gone, you're doing a disservice.
48:47I understand a technical, yes, but he can't be thrown out for that.
48:53It's like we said, if Lattie's up for one tie this entire first half, and they're coming off their lowest scoring game of the season.
49:01With only 83 points in their 34-point loss Thursday in Game 3.
49:08And, by the way, people at home, this is what the playoffs are all about.
49:11This is the type of intensity you see.
49:13Here comes Zach Zarvo.
49:15After review, we have technical fouls on the following players.
49:17We have a technical foul on Harden.
49:19We have a technical foul on Powell.
49:22We have a technical foul on Dunn for the Clippers.
49:24We also have a technical foul on Aaron Gordon, followed by a technical foul on Jokic, and a technical foul on Christian Brown.
49:31These are offsetting technical fouls.
49:33There were no closed fist punch thrown, therefore there's no ejection.
49:37There we go.
49:38It will be a sideline out of bounds.
49:40Yes.
49:42That's exactly how it should have been.
49:46Offsetting technicals.
49:47Great.
49:48Great job, Zach Zarvo and crew.
49:51I applaud you.
49:55This is nothing, guys.
49:58This is nothing.
50:00Just because bodies are moving, that's why people are getting a little bit up in arms.
50:05This is nothing.
50:066.6 to go in the half.
50:10Clippers will inbound.
50:12Denver by two.
50:16Couple players in double figures.
50:18Jokic 15, Gordon with 10.
50:20Patum will inbound.
50:22It's Powell.
50:23And Gordon comes up on him.
50:26The switch with Murray.
50:27He lost the ball.
50:28It's picked up and not in time, even as Watson flings it the other way.
50:32And this is the first time in the series that Denver has led at the head.
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