James Harden scored 28 points and dished out eight assists in a vintage performance Thursday night, as the Los Angeles Clippers staved off elimination with a 111-105 win over the Denver Nuggets in Game 6 of their Western Conference first-round series. The victory at the new Intuit Dome ties the series 3-3 and forces a decisive Game 7 on Saturday night in Denver.
After drawing criticism for his passive play in Game 5, the 35-year-old Harden responded with aggression and efficiency, igniting the Clippers’ offense and setting the tone early. Kawhi Leonard added 27 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists in a typically all-around effort, while Norman Powell poured in 24 points off the bench, including a crucial 3-pointer with under two minutes left to help the Clippers hold off a late Nuggets charge.
“I knew I had to be better,” Harden said postgame. “We weren’t going out like that.”
Los Angeles overcame back-to-back losses with tenacious second-half defense and poise under pressure. Nikola Jokic, the Nuggets’ three-time MVP, scored 25 points but managed just five after halftime as Ivica Zubac and Nicolas Batum delivered a disruptive, physical effort in the paint. Jokic was held scoreless for an 11-minute stretch in the third quarter and finished 2-for-9 in the second half.
Denver, trailing by 15 with under six minutes to play, mounted a late rally with an 11-2 run that cut the lead to 107-101. But Powell’s clutch 3-pointer with 1:47 remaining gave the Clippers the breathing room they needed. It was L.A.’s only field goal over the final 5:57, but their defense did the rest.
Russell Westbrook came up empty on two crucial layup attempts late, and Zubac rejected a Jokic layup with 24 seconds left to seal the win.
Jamal Murray scored 21 points for the Nuggets, who have now lost four of their last five close-out opportunities since their 2023 championship run. They also squandered a 3-2 lead in last year’s second round against Minnesota. Denver hasn’t won a Game 7 since the 2020 bubble — when they famously eliminated the Clippers.
Now, the Clippers will try to reverse that history Saturday night in Ball Arena.
“We’ve got one more to go,” Leonard said. “This is what the playoffs are all about.”
Tip-off for Game 7 is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET in Denver.
