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The Clippers host the Nuggets today, and the Jr. is out due to injury. The Nuggets started the first quarter with an 18-6 run, and in the second quarter, led by Willis and Harden, the Clippers fought back strongly. At halftime, the Clippers were up by four points, 53-49. Harden went 0-of-4 from the field in the first quarter and scored 14 points and two assists in the second quarter.
Star performance
Harden got off to a terrible start, even shooting 0-of-4 at one point, and didn't show his talent when it came to organizing the team's offense. Many have questioned whether Harden's recent performance is a problem with his mentality or whether there is indeed a huge decline in ability. If Harden continues to play like this, the Clippers won't be able to do much in the playoffs.
George played normally in the first half, with a certain amount of aggression on the offensive end, a good shooting touch, and repeated contributions on the defensive end. With the absence of the small card and the loss of Harden, the Clippers need George to step up, not to mention that George also has to face the problem of contract extension, so George needs to play better.
Wei Shao is the biggest contributor to the Clippers' ability to bite the Nuggets' score, although his shooting efficiency is not very high, but he is very good at organizing the team. Wei Shao used his vitality and attitude towards the game to interpret his desire for victory, hoping that the Clippers could turn defeat into victory under the leadership of Wei Shao.
Jokic is still an invincible presence on the inside, and in the face of the Clippers' weak interior, he plays smoothly. Attack, organization and defense have to be grasped with both hands, and both hands are very hard. So if the Clippers want to beat the Nuggets, they must first solve Jokic's problem.
Arena analysis
First, the Clippers were able to play evenly with the Nuggets, firstly, because they controlled the game turnovers very well, and secondly, the bench players were able to step up in time to help the team. Second, the Nuggets have a clear advantage on the inside, especially Jokic, and the Clippers will have a hard time finding a way to limit Jokic.
Match data
Harden had 14 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 steal on 4-of-11 shooting, George had 12 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist and 2 steals on 4-of-9 shooting, Wei Shao had 4 points, 2 rebounds, 5 assists and 1 block on 2-of-6 shooting, and Powell had 10 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 steal.
Jokic finished with 20 points, nine rebounds, four assists and four turnovers on 9-of-12 shooting, while Porter finished with 10 points, six rebounds and one block on 4-of-13 shooting.