NBA Playoffs: Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic Achieve Unique Feat After 25 Years in Nuggets Playoffs History

NBA Playoffs action sees the LA Clippers face the Denver Nuggets in game 2 of their semi-final series. The Clippers have come into this game with a one-game advantage, but Denver looks poised to make it 1-1.

Denver has run over the Clippers across the first half of the game. This was led by a scoring run headed by Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic. Both men rediscovered their shooting form and helped the Nuggets score almost 50 points at the end of the first quarter. While they faced peaks and troughs, the point guard-center combo has done a lot of damage.

Jokic had a 24-point double-double to end the half, while Murray had 20 points. He could have had 23, but Murray missed the final shot of the first half. They became the first pair of Nuggets teammates since J.R. Smith and Carmelo Anthony in 2006 to have 20-point halves to open a game. They also became the first pair of Nuggets teammates in 25 years to achieve this feat in a playoff game.

NBA Playoffs: Can Denver hold LA off for a game two win?

The Nuggets have carried their lead into the second half. They still have a 15+ point lead halfway through the third quarter. However, the Clippers have managed to slow their offense down. Despite that, the Clippers haven’t found an offensive groove of their own. In the first seven minutes of the third quarter, the Clippers managed just eight points. However, they did limit Denver to just 11.

The issue with the Clippers right now is that Kawhi Leonard is having his first bad game of the playoffs. Throughout the Mavericks series, Kawhi was a reliable bucket. This allowed the Clippers to move past Paul George’s bad performances. However, today everyone is looking human, especially Kawhi. As of the 7-minute mark in the third quarter, Kawhi is shooting 4/13 from the field. George is doing marginally better with 4/11.

Jokic and Murray don’t need to take an offensive charge to put this game away, they need solid defense. The Clippers are a threat when they get hot and start making buckets. If they keep it a 15-point lead heading into the final quarter, Denver will essentially solidify a win for themselves (unless they collapse like the Milwaukee Bucks in game three).