DEN 122, LAC 109: Nikola Jokić and Murray Combine for 114 ESPN FP
Tyler Okonkwo
Student & Retail Associate · Houston Rockets fan
Jokić Stays Unreal, but Denver Needed Late Heroics to Get Past LA
The Nuggets survived a Clippers run that should've scared them way more than it did. Final was 122-109, but that scoreline smooths over what was actually a competitive game until the fourth quarter fell apart for LA. For fantasy purposes, this is a "Jokić did Jokić things" night with some secondary storylines that matter way less than they should.
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nikola Jokić | 66.0 | 60.9 | 31/12/5 | 29.7/12.2/10.8 | +1.3 |
| James Harden | 47.0 | 43.5 | 25/5/9 | 25.4/4.8/8.1 | -0.4 |
| Jamal Murray | 48.0 | 38.3 | 20/4/9 | 25.8/4.3/7.4 | -5.8 |
| Kawhi Leonard | 38.0 | 37.6 | 21/3/6 | 27.7/6.1/3.5 | -6.7 |
| John Collins | 46.0 | 37.2 | 18/6/4 | 13.4/4.8/0.9 | +4.6 |
| Peyton Watson | 27.0 | 27.3 | 21/4/3 | 14.7/4.9/1.9 | +6.3 |
| Jonas Valančiūnas | 24.0 | 25.2 | 11/6/2 | 9.1/5.2/1.3 | +1.9 |
| Tim Hardaway Jr. | 32.0 | 24.4 | 22/2/0 | 14.1/2.5/1.4 | +7.9 |
| Ivica Zubac | 21.0 | 22.4 | 13/7/2 | 14.6/10.8/2.3 | -1.6 |
| Spencer Jones | 18.0 | 18.7 | 4/6/1 | 6.1/3.1/0.9 | -2.1 |
The MVP Carried Again (Shocker)
Nikola Jokić put up 31/12/5 on 8-11 shooting in just 24 minutes and dropped 60.9 Yahoo FP. Yeah, he only played 24 minutes. That's the All-NBA First Team for you. He was just over his season scoring average (+1.3 pts) but the efficiency was clean and he took care of the ball with only 3 turnovers despite running the offense. This is what "sustainable" actually looks like. Your reigning MVP isn't suddenly going to fall off because of one game. Keep riding him unless he gets injured, which knock on wood won't happen.
The real stat that matters? In 24 minutes, Jokić made 13 of 17 free throws. Denver won the rebounding battle and controlled pace. That's not fluky. That's dominance.
Harden Still Cooks Even When It Doesn't Show in the Box Score
James Harden went 25/5/9 for 43.5 Yahoo FP and honestly, that's a perfectly solid night for him. He's running the Clippers offense now, not a primary scorer, so the 9 assists matter more than the 25 points. The -0.4 vs season average is basically "met expectations." He wasn't special tonight, but he wasn't bad either. He's 33 years old and still running point guard on a playoff team, so consistency is what you want from him.
The Collapse: Murray and Kawhi Both Disappointed
Jamal Murray (-5.8 pts vs avg) and Kawhi Leonard (-6.7 pts vs avg) both came up short when the Clippers needed them most. Murray's 20/4/9 looks fine on paper until you realize he took 35 minutes and the Clippers lost by 13. Kawhi hit 8-18 from the field, which is just not clean enough for the second star on a contender. Neither guy played badly, but neither elevated when it mattered. That's the story.
The issue is Denver's depth in crunch time. By the fourth quarter, Denver had fresh legs because Peyton Watson (+6.3 pts vs avg) stepped up with 21 points on 9-17 shooting. That kid has been getting minutes lately and it's paying off. Not saying he's a waiver wire must-add, but if you're in a deeper league and need wing depth, he's worth a flier.
John Collins Actually Showed Up
John Collins went off for 37.2 Yahoo FP on 18/6/4 with four threes. That's +4.6 pts vs his season average. The Clippers needed more of this. Collins playing well is the one consistent "bright spot" from LA's bench, but it wasn't enough when your top two couldn't finish.
The Denver Role Players Won the Game
Tim Hardaway Jr. dropping 22/2/0 with five threes is the secondary story. That's +7.9 vs his season average. He came off the bench and gave Denver exactly what they need: three-point shooting without asking for the ball constantly. Short minutes (24), but huge impact. Jonas Valančiūnas (11/6/2, 25.2 FP) didn't put up huge stats but was efficient and provided rim protection. Neither guy is going to win your fantasy league, but both showed why Denver's bench has been better than expected.
The Real Takeaway
This game is a reminder that depth matters. Denver doesn't need Jokić going for 40 every night because they have guys who can contribute. LA's bench couldn't match that energy. For fantasy, if you have Jokić, you're fine. If you have Harden or Kawhi, don't panic, but know they're going to have some nights where the secondary guys steal the scoring load. That's just how these Clippers work sometimes.
What to do Monday morning: Hold everything. No one played so badly that you should panic-drop them, and no one played well enough on the bench to justify a waiver claim in most leagues. This was just Denver being Denver and LA falling short down the stretch.