LA Clippers guard James Harden (1) / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The LA Clippers lost an overtime contest to the Denver Nuggets in Game 1 of the NBA Playoffs on Saturday. Jumping out to a 15-point lead in the first half, LA slowly saw its advantage dwindle until regulation concluded with the score tied 98-98.
Turnovers cost the Clippers a chance to closeout the game in regulation, and the same issues persisted in the overtime period. With 20 giveaways as a team, the Clippers had four in OT. This included the game-sealing defensive play by Russell Westbrook as LA was inbounding the ball with 10 seconds left and a three-point deficit.
RUSSELL WESTBROOK FORCES THE TURNOVER!!
NUGGETS WIN GAME 1 🔥 pic.twitter.com/nWOpRyxShg
— NBA (@NBA) April 19, 2025
Speaking in the locker room postgame, Westbrook said he knew what play the Clippers were running. He did not, however, admit to there being something extra against his former team.
“Nah. Not until we win the series,” he said. “We can talk about that when we take care of business. That’s a tough team over there. They’ve been playing very, very well the past month or so. We did our job, we didn’t do nothing special.”
Westbrook added, “My job is to — they have a dynamic roller in Zu and great cutters and guys that catch lobs. My job is to be the low man and find ways to, excuse my langue, but f—k s—t up.”
Russell Westbrook said he knew what play the Clippers were running when he got the game-clinching steal.Is there anything extra for him against the Clippers?
“Nah. Not until we win the series. We can talk about that when we take care of business. That’s a tough team over… pic.twitter.com/6YUgyYUKwR
— Joey Linn (@joeylinn_) April 19, 2025
While that final turnover has understandably received the biggest spotlight, it was just one of several costly mistakes LA made down the stretch. The usually sure-handed Kawhi Leonard had seven of the Clippers’ 20 turnovers, including a costly one late. Norman Powell and Bogdan Bogdanovic, who combined to shoot just 5-for-15, also combined for seven turnovers.
On one hand, the self-inflicted nature of this loss makes it sting more for the Clippers. They had a chance to take Game 1 on the road, and quite literally give it away. But the team is choosing to look at it differently.
“It was turnovers that were unforced,” Harden said postgame. “That’s the game right there. It was nothing that they did. It’s us. All us.”
Harden, who had just two of LA’s turnovers while tallying 32 points and 11 assists, expanded on his confidence.
“Confidence is always going to be there,” he added. “It’s a little frustrating just because it is self-inflicted and it is something that we have been really good at these last few weeks. It’s even keel, we will come back in Game 2 and be even better.”
James Harden on the Clippers having 20 turnovers:“That’s the game. Nothing else. That’s the game.”
Said it gives the Clippers confidence that this loss was self-inflicted. pic.twitter.com/9J5YU9CwWh
— Joey Linn (@joeylinn_) April 19, 2025
Leonard attributed his turnovers to a lack of decisiveness. The two-time Finals MVP also echoed Harden’s even keel attitude.
“It’s just Game 1,” Leonard said. “Denver is a good team, especially at home. We still got Game 2 to play.”
Leonard’s seven giveaways were very uncharacteristic. In 37 games this season, his high for turnovers was five. In fact, the last time Leonard turned the ball over at least seven times in a game was on Jan. 6, 2021 against the Golden State Warriors. It’s something he’s done just seven times in his NBA career, including Saturday’s game (h/t StatMuse).
This helps explain why Nikola Jokic attributed Leonard’s ball security issues mostly to luck for Denver.
“First, the primary defenders with [Aaron Gordon], [Christian Braun], whoever was on him. And I think the shrink was there behind it,” Jokic detailed. “We were there showing the crowds, showing the hands, and it just happened. Lucky for us.”
Jokic added of Leonard, “He’s an amazing player, of course. He’s a really, really, really deadly scorer. It’s hard to stop him 1-on-1. And even if you think you can stop it, he can make tough shots… He’s an amazing player.”
Nikola Jokic on Kawhi Leonard having 7 turnovers:“First, the primary defenders with AG, CB, whoever was on him. And I think the shrink was there behind it. We were there showing the crowds, showing the hands, and it just happened. Lucky for us.”
More from Jokic on Kawhi:… pic.twitter.com/U3Uc6CNWbE
— Joey Linn (@joeylinn_) April 20, 2025
While it’s reasonable for the Clippers to cite their self-inflicted wounds as reason for optimism entering Game 2 — considering they dropped a 112-110 overtime contest on the road despite being far from their best — Denver was also not in peak form.
The Nuggets got close to nothing from Michael Porter Jr., who made just one field goal in 27 minutes before watching most of the fourth quarter and all of overtime from the bench. Denver expects him to make a greater impact in Game 2 and beyond.
While to a lesser degree, the same can be said about Jamal Murray. The well-known playoff-riser shot just 7-for-20 from the field. Had Denver lost, his cold shooting would have been overshadowed by the two free throws Jokic missed with one minute left in regulation. Or the botched final possession before overtime that saw the Nuggets fail to get a shot off.
This the nature of a playoff game, and even more-so a playoff series. Teams often leave a loss feeling it was them, not the opponent, who most-impacted the outcome. That is how the Clippers feel after Game 1. It’s something that gives them confidence, and something they can affirm by bringing a 1-1 series back to Intuit Dome for the building’s first playoff game on Thursday.
