{{pageModel.leagueAbbr}} {{pageModel.subtitle}} | Las Vegas Review-Journal
National Basketball Association
Denver 111, L.A. Clippers 105
When: 6:30 PM ET, Friday, September 11, 2020
Where: The Field House, Orlando, Florida
Officials: #25 Tony Brothers, #24 Kevin Scott, #8 Marc Davis
Attendance: N/A

Jamal Murray scored 26 points and the Denver Nuggets used a fourth-quarter rally to stun the Los Angeles Clippers 111-105 in Game 5 of their Western Conference semifinal on Friday inside the bubble near Orlando.

Nikola Jokic added 22 points, 14 rebounds and five assists for the Nuggets, who cut the Clippers' series advantage to 3-2. Paul Millsap added 17 points. Murray also had eight rebounds and seven assists.

Kawhi Leonard led the Clippers with 36 points and nine boards, while Paul George had 26 points, six rebounds and six assists. Marcus Morris Sr. chipped in 12 points and Patrick Beverley finished with 10.

Game 6 is Sunday.

Leonard's 3-pointer with 24.8 seconds sliced Denver's margin to 107-103 but Michael Porter Jr.'s two throws with 21.4 seconds remaining sealed it for Denver.

Denver trailed throughout the contest, taking its first lead with 6:49 left in the fourth quarter. Riding a 21-8 burst to open the quarter, the Nuggets stretched their lead to 94-88 lead with a Murray 3-pointer with 5:48 remaining.

They extended the lead to 102-94 after a 3-pointer by Jokic two minutes later but the Clippers rallied, cutting the deficit to 102-100 after two foul shots by Leonard with 1:58 left.

Porter scored his first points of the game with a 3-pointer with 1:11 remaining for a five-point lead before Monte Morris canned two foul shots for a 107-100 lead.

The Nuggets were able to make their run thanks in large part to Millsap's 14 third-quarter points, including six straight to pull Denver within 80-73 heading into the fourth quarter.

The Clippers used an 11-0 run for a 42-27 advantage after a pair of floaters by Williams with 7:40 left in the second quarter. The Nuggets cut the deficit to 10 after a bucket by Jokic more than three minutes later. However, the Clippers maintained the double-digit lead and carried a 56-44 lead into the break.

Morris and Millsap got into a brief skirmish with 50.1 seconds left in the second quarter. Morris drew a technical foul.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
 
Denver   L.A. Clippers
Jamal Murray 26 Scoring Kawhi Leonard 36
Jamal Murray 7 Assists Paul George 6
Nikola Jokic 14 Rebounds Kawhi Leonard 9
Paul Millsap 6 Free Throws Made Kawhi Leonard 7
Monte Morris 3 Steals Kawhi Leonard 3
Jerami Grant 2 Blocks Paul George 2
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
Denver 111 48.1 12-27 21-25 20 44 5 7 11
L.A. Clippers 105 42.0 16-42 15-17 22 41 5 6 11
Upcoming Games
  • L.A. Clippers will play their next game on the road against Denver. The Clippers have a W/L % of .609 after a win and .808 after a loss.
  • Denver will play their next game at home against L.A. Clippers. The Nuggets have a W/L % of .596 after a win and .692 after a loss.