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The Clippers host arch-rival Nuggets today. The Clippers fought back strongly in the second quarter after a bad start. The two teams were evenly matched throughout the game, and at critical moments, Harden and George stepped up to score consecutive points for the Clippers, while the Nuggets missed the final attack. In the end, the Clippers narrowly defeated the Nuggets 102-100. It is worth mentioning that Nuggets head coach Malone complained about the referee in the fourth quarter and was directly ejected.
Harden: Rebound + career milestones
Harden gradually regained his form after a poor start, especially on the offensive end. In the game, Harden had a continuous crotch dribble and stepped back for three points, a bit of a shadow of his peak. In addition, Harden scored 25,000 points, 6,000 rebounds and 7,000 assists in the first half, becoming the fourth player in history to achieve this statistic. Harden's recovery in form will help the Clippers continue to challenge the regular season rankings, which is of great significance for the Clippers to go further in the playoffs.
George: Strong recovery + offensive and defensive integration
George was aggressive on the offensive end today, and his shooting efficiency was very high, and when the Nuggets kept catching up with the score, George stepped up in time and interrupted the momentum of the Nuggets' comeback with consecutive scores, which is a bit of a superstar today. George's performance this season has been questioned by many people, especially his inconsistent play on the offensive end, and some even think that he is not worthy of a maximum salary contract, but I hope George can be ashamed and brave and prove himself on the playoff stage.
Wei Shao: Energetic + leading the bench
In the first half, when the Clippers were in an unfavorable situation, it was the bench lineup led by Wei Shao who kept biting the score, which provided a guarantee for the Clippers' counterattack. Wei Shao showed his all-round throughout the game, not only playing on the offensive end, but also on the defensive end. The Clippers' victory in this game has an important relationship with the extraordinary play on the bench.
Clippers: Slowly coming out of the predicament to temporarily hold fourth in the West
The Clippers will have two wins ahead of the fifth-place Mavericks with a victory. Although the Clippers are currently in the midst of injuries, Harden and George are picking up, and the bench is constantly providing energy, and the Clippers are slowly coming out of the predicament. Hopefully, the Clippers can be on the right path so they can go far in the playoffs.
Match data
Harden had 20 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists and 1 steal on 6-of-23 shooting, George had 28 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 steals on 10-of-21 shooting, Zubac had 14 points, 15 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal, Willis had 12 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal and 1 block on 4-of-9 shooting, and Powell had 11 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 steal.
The Nuggets' Jokic had 36 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists on 14-of-24 shooting, while Porter had 14 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 block on 6-of-18 shooting.