LA Clippers Blow Another Big Lead, Lose to Denver Nuggets in Game 6
The LA Clippers suffered a familiar-feeling loss on Sunday afternoon, dropping Game 6 to the Denver Nuggets by a final score of 111-98 and tying the series 3-3.
Much like Game 5 of this series, LA was in control for the entirety of the first half, and then some. Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Co. were engaged on both ends of the floor, helping the Clippers get out to a 68-49 lead with 10 minutes to play in the third quarter.
But from that point on, it was all Denver.
Over the final 22 minutes of the contest, the Nuggets outscored the Clippers 62-30, obliterating the 19-point advantage LA once had and running away with the lead.
To make matters worse for LA, their 19-point blown lead is tied for the largest with a chance to clinch a Conference Finals appearance since 1997, according to ESPN's Matt Williams. The last time it happened was when the Lob City Clippers blew a 19-point lead against the Houston Rockets in Game 6 of the 2015 Western Conference Semifinals.
A 17-0 run by Denver essentially took LA out of the game, and as soon as the Nuggets took the lead early in the fourth quarter, the Clippers never managed to recover.
After the game, Clippers coach Doc Rivers blamed LA's offense as the reason for the downfall.
"It was beautiful basketball, and then we stopped playing," Rivers said. "We stopped moving the ball. We stopped attacking on offense. And then that's what allowed them to score on defense because we didn't score."
Now, as both teams approach Game 7, Kawhi Leonard says the Clippers have to be the team that gives it all.
"Just got to leave it all out on the floor and make sure we are paying attention to detail and executing and communicating on the defensive end, and that's all we can do, go out there and play hard and just make sure we know the game plan."
The LA Clippers and Denver Nuggets will meet again on Tuesday night for Game 7. The winner will move on to face the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals, while the loser will have their season come to an end.
