Clippers demolishes Nuggets in Game 1 victory, 120-97

Orlando- The Los Angeles Clippers defeat the Denver Nuggets in Game 1 of their series.

The Clippers were well rested for the Nuggets, as they hammered Denver from start to finish. Kawhi Leonard was sensational, as he shot 12 of 16 from the field and finished the game with 29 points, 2 rebounds and 3 assists. In the second quarter, the Clippers blew the game wide open as they put up 38 points before the half. Jamal Murray struggled to find any sunlight in his shooting . He shot 5 of 15 from the field and finished the game with only 12 points. The Nuggets could not stop Lou Williams and Paul George from getting into the painted area and easily scoring over their defender. Foul trouble plagued the Nuggets, as Montrezl Harrell put Mason Plumlee on the bench early. Plumlee could not stop Harrell from getting easy lay-ups and that was one of the key factors that got the Clippers the win. LA had 66 points in the paint.

Collectively LA shot around 57% from the field and made 10 of 24 three point pointers. Even though the Clippers had turned the ball over 14 times, they made up for it by getting back on defense and making it hard for the Nuggets to get a surge going. The Clippers finished the game with five players in double figures.