Clippers 94: 102 Nuggets! Kaka 17+2, Harden 5+5+11 assists, 2 new players performed well

The NBA preseason ushered in a focus match. The Los Angeles Clippers sat at home and faced their old rivals, the Denver Nuggets, who eliminated them in the first round of the playoffs last season. This game is full of "revenge". The Clippers were a bit unlucky. Bill and Bogdanovic were both absent due to injuries, so the head coach arranged a lineup with Harden, Jones Jr., Leonard, Collins and Zubac as the starting lineup. Even veteran Paul was placed on the bench to lead the second team. The Nuggets received good news. Gordon returned from injury and returned to the game. They sent out a full core lineup of Murray, Brown, Johnson, Gordon and "Teacher" Jokic. All members were healthy and aggressive.

The game was full of excitement right from the start. The Clippers' new aid, Lopez, became the biggest surprise. He had a hot touch and made 4 of 5 shots in the first quarter, including 3 three-pointers. He scored 11 points in a single quarter. Not only could he shoot three-pointers, but he could also make fadeaway jumpers. He also contributed on the defensive end. He was simply a "hang-up" player. After the first quarter, the Clippers were 32:31, and the score between the two sides was very tight. At halftime, the Clippers only led by 2 points, 61-59.

For the Clippers, Leonard has become the absolute core. He played 19 minutes and 7 seconds and contributed 17 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist and 2 steals. His mid-range jumper and defensive pressure set the tone for the team. Lopez played the role of a surprise player, scoring 13 points in only 8 minutes and 45 seconds of playing time, and accurately hit three-pointers, becoming the Clippers' most threatening firepower from the outside. Zubac also showed dominance in the paint, scoring 11 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in 15 minutes, with both frame protection and finishing abilities. Harden is good at organization. He sent out 10 assists in 17 minutes. Although he only scored 3 points, he revitalized the team's offense. His plus-minus value of +7 reflects his series value. Jones, Collins and other role players also contributed 8 points and 6 points respectively. The team shot 56% overall and had 19 assists, showing smooth teamwork. The two new players, Collins and Daluo, performed well in the half.

For the Nuggets, Gordon is in hot form, scoring 16 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists in 14 minutes, becoming the team's most stable offensive output point. Jokic continued his all-round performance, scoring 10 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal and 1 block in 17 minutes. Despite 2 turnovers, he was still the hub of the Nuggets' offense and defense. Watson contributed 9 points and 1 assist in 9 minutes and 19 seconds, and Valanciunas scored 6 points, 5 rebounds and 1 assist. The two provided firepower support for the team on the bench. However, Murray struggled, scoring only 5 points and making 3 turnovers in 15 minutes and 4 seconds. Players such as Pope scored zero points. The team shot 31% from three-point range and made 6 turnovers, which affected the offensive efficiency to a certain extent.

From the data point of view, the Clippers are superior in many key statistics such as points, assists (19:16), steals (4:3), blocks (2:1), free throws (9:6), etc. The field goal percentage of 56% is higher than the Nuggets' 52%, and the free throw percentage of 75% is also ahead of the Nuggets' 66%. At the same time, the 12-6 gap in turnover points reflects the Clippers' stronger ability to convert mistakes.

The Nuggets performed better in rebounds (21:19), three-pointers (7:6), and second-chance points (8:4), showing their advantages in interior control and second-chance offense. The number of fouls on both sides was 10. The Clippers had a slight advantage in fast break scoring 9-8, and the Clippers had a slight advantage in penalty area scoring 30-28. In this matchup, the performance of the core players of both sides was in sharp contrast with the performance of the role players. The game at the data level also highlighted the difference in the tactical styles of the two teams.

At halftime, the Clippers had advantages in scoring, assists, steals, blocks, free throw shooting, etc., especially leading 12-6 in turnover conversion points, reflecting a more efficient counterattack ability. The Nuggets were dominant in rebounds, three-pointers, and second-chance points. The inside group led by Jokic controlled the rebounds, but the overall offensive efficiency was slightly lower than the Clippers. In this halftime showdown, the Clippers temporarily took the lead with their dual-core drive and the efficient performance of role players, while the Nuggets relied on the personal abilities of Jokic and Gordon to support themselves. The trend of subsequent games still depends on the adjustments and responses of both sides in the second half.

In the third quarter, the Clippers changed sides and fought again. The Clippers' offense was blocked and they lost by 3 points at 14:17 in a single quarter. In the fourth quarter, after the Clippers' main force was removed, the offensive end still failed to improve and lost another 7 points at 19:26. The Clippers played quite passively in the second half. After the final four quarters, the Clippers lost to the Nuggets 94:102, failing to avenge their elimination in the tiebreaker in the playoffs.

After the game, Kaka contributed 17 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 5 of 10 field goals, 1 of 6 three-pointers, 6 free throws, and 2 steals. Zubac contributed 11 points, 10 rebounds and 2 assists. Harden was a bit sluggish on the offensive end. He made 1 of 6 shots and contributed 5 points, 5 rebounds and 11 assists, which revitalized the team very well. 2 New aid Collins scored 9 points, 10 rebounds and 1 assist, and Lopez contributed 15 points, 1 rebound and 1 assist, performing well. Paul made 1 of 5 shots and only recorded 2 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists.

Teacher Yue, the core of the Nuggets, contributed 12 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists. Gordon had 18 points, 7 rebounds and 2 assists. He is still a strong point for the Clippers. Braun contributed 11 points, 1 rebound and 3 assists. Murray had 7 points, 1 rebound and 3 assists, Johnson had 8 points, but had 3 steals on the defensive end.