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After blowing a big lead to lose Game 5 and the chance to win the series, the LA Clippers will try to get the job done to advance to the Western Conference Finals when they face the Denver Nuggets in Game 6 Sunday morning.
The Clippers were up by 16 points at one point in Game 5, but a wily Denver team didn’t give up and kept their hopes of springing a series upset alive with the 111-106 win Thursday.
Game Information
Where: AdventHealth Arena, Orlando, Florida
When: Sunday, September 13 at 10 a.m. PT
How to watch: ESPN
Projected Starting Lineups
Clippers: Patrick Beverley, Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Marcus Morris Sr., Ivica Zubac
Nuggets: Jamal Murray, Gary Harris, Jerami Grant, Paul Millsap, Nikola Jokic
Injuries/Absences
Clippers: None
Nuggets: Will Barton (right knee), Vlatko Cancar (left foot) — OUT
Kawhi Leonard was in his typical stellar form in Game 5, but LA’s supporting cast couldn’t keep up to ice the win, and it cost them dearly. But the good news is they still hold a series edge, 3-2. What does that mean? They really can’t let the Nuggets win again, to force a Game 7 and a second consecutive series where Denver goes down 3-1 in the series with a chance to advance in the end.
Not to take anything away from the Nuggets or the Dallas Mavericks in the first round, but the Clippers have by and large faltered in the playoffs when they’ve failed to perform, rather than their opponent really taking the game to them. If they can get their shots to fall, play strong defense and keep their wits about them, they should get the job done. If they can’t? Panic is the last thing the Clippers need to do inside a game, and a tidy win over the Nuggets would help the Clips make history and gear up for the big Western Conference Final showdown. Let’s see it happen here.