Nuggets Stage Thrilling Comeback to Beat Clippers 113-104: Reggie Jackson Shines with 35 Points
In a gripping Monday night showdown, Reggie Jackson’s stellar performance of 35 points, coupled with DeAndre Jordan’s 21 points and 13 rebounds, fueled the Denver Nuggets’ impressive fourth-quarter rally to secure a 113-104 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers. Notably, this triumph was achieved without the presence of Nikola Jokic.
Former Clippers standouts Jackson and Jordan teamed up for a remarkable 20-point contribution in the final quarter, erasing an 11-point deficit. Jackson played a pivotal role, initiating and concluding a crucial 22-6 run with 3-pointers that propelled the Nuggets to a 99-94 lead. Amid this surge, Jackson orchestrated two emphatic dunks for Jordan.
Reggie Jackson ⏩ DeAndre Jordan (x5)
— NBA (@NBA) November 28, 2023
This duo was cooking ALL NIGHT, linking up for 5 (‼️) ally-oops in the Nuggets victory 🤯 pic.twitter.com/mW5z2LwQFz
Despite missing starters Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Aaron Gordon, with a combined average of 58.2 points, the Nuggets showcased resilience. Jokic sat out due to low back pain, Murray had a right hamstring strain, and Gordon was sidelined with a right heel strain.
Kawhi Leonard led the Clippers with an impressive 31 points, while Ivica Zubac added 23 points and 14 rebounds. Paul George faced foul trouble early in the fourth, accumulating his fourth and fifth fouls, finishing the game with six points on a challenging 2-of-13 shooting performance.
The Clippers struggled in the fourth quarter, limited to four field goals, and faced challenges at the free-throw line, going 8 of 12. Russell Westbrook’s crucial airball free throw and late-game turnovers by James Harden contributed to the Clippers’ eighth consecutive loss to the Nuggets.
The defending NBA champions, the Nuggets, improved their road record to 4-6, overcoming a strong third-quarter effort by the Clippers, who led 88-77 going into the final period after a 17-5 run sparked by Zubac.
In the second quarter, the Clippers’ reserves initially provided an 11-point advantage, but Reggie Jackson’s outstanding 14-point contribution, including a free throw, allowed the Nuggets to head into halftime with a 58-56 lead.
Throughout the game, former teammates Jackson and Jordan showcased their chemistry, with Jordan converting an alley-oop pass into a dunk and scoring on a reverse dunk off a feed from Jackson in the first half.
Notably, Norman Powell of the Clippers reached a career milestone in the second quarter, hitting a free throw that brought his career point total to 6,000.
