James Harden recorded 28 points, eight assists and six rebounds and the Los Angeles Clippers remained alive in their first-round series with the Denver Nuggets, winning 111-105 on Thursday night in Inglewood, California.
Kawhi Leonard added 27 points, 10 rebounds and five assists and Norman Powell scored 24 points as the Clippers evened the Western Conference matchup at three games apiece. Ivica Zubac had 10 points, six rebounds and four blocked shots for fifth-seeded Los Angeles.
Nikola Jokic registered 25 points, eight assists, seven rebounds and three steals for fourth-seeded Denver. Jamal Murray had 21 points, eight assists and eight rebounds and Aaron Gordon scored 19 points.
Game 7 is Saturday night in Denver.
The Nuggets trailed by 15 midway through the fourth quarter before getting back into the game with an 11-2 run.
A 3-pointer by Gordon and a fastbreak layup by Murray brought Denver within 107-101 with 2:43 remaining.
But then Russell Westbrook missed a layup 30 seconds later. Powell made the Nuggets pay with a 3-pointer to make it a nine-point advantage with 1:47 to play.
Gordon’s tip-in and two free throws by Christian Braun brought Denver within 110-105 with 58.5 seconds remaining.
Denver had a chance to move within three, but Zubac blocked Jokic’s close-range shot with 24.4 seconds left. Leonard split two free throws with 18.8 seconds remaining for a six-point lead that held up as Murray and Gordon each missed 3-pointers on the Nuggets’ final possession.
Westbrook had 14 points, 10 rebounds and six assists and Braun also scored 14 points for Denver, which connected on 52.4 percent of its shots, including 11 of 27 from behind the arc.
The Clippers shot 50 percent from the field and made 12 of 39 from 3-point range.
Denver trailed 68-66 after Murray’s basket with 8:11 left in the third quarter before going 4:43 without a point.
The Clippers took advantage with 12 consecutive points. Powell had half of them, including a layup to cap the spurt to make it 80-66.
Braun drained a 3-pointer with 3:28 to go in the quarter to end the Nuggets’ drought.
Denver got back within 90-79 on Jokic’s 3-pointer with 39 seconds left in the quarter.
The Clippers led 105-90 on a 3-pointer by Bogdan Bogdanovic with 5:57 left, before Denver made its frantic charge.
Harden scored 21 points in the first half as Los Angeles led 58-57 at the break. Jokic had 20 in the half for the Nuggets.
James Harden, Clippers force Game 7 versus Nuggets
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James Harden, Clippers force Game 7 versus Nuggets
- James Harden recorded 28 points, eight assists and six rebounds for the Los Angeles Clippers
- Kawhi Leonard added 27 points, 10 rebounds and five assists and Norman Powell scored 24 points
Messi dazzles as Miami beat Vancouver to win MLS title
- Argentina superstar Messi provided assists for two goals and helped create another to spark wild celebrations before a rapturous home crowd at the Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale
FORT LAUDERDALE, United States: Lionel Messi inspired Inter Miami to their first ever MLS Cup title on Saturday, playing a leading role in a 3-1 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps in Florida.
Argentina superstar Messi provided assists for two goals and helped create another to spark wild celebrations before a rapturous home crowd at the Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.
Miami took the lead after an early Edier Ocampo own goal but were left reeling by Ali Ahmed’s second half-equalizer for Vancouver.
But Messi then laid on an assist for Argentina international team-mate Rodrigo De Paul to put Miami 2-1 up before supplying the pass for Tadeo Allende’s injury time goal that sealed victory.
Miami’s first Major League Soccer crown provided glittering vindication for co-owner David Beckham, the former England and Manchester United star who had long dreamed of bringing success to Miami.
“There was a lot of sleepless nights, but I always believed,” Beckham said afterwards. “I always believed in bringing the team here, and when I found the right partners I knew anything was possible.
“We always promised our fans that we would bring success, and bring the best players, and today we’ve achieved that.”
Vancouver — spearheaded by German legend Thomas Mueller — had looked the likelier victor after recovering from Ocampo’s eighth minute own goal to level through Ali Ahmed in the 60th minute.
The Whitecaps almost took the lead moments after the equalizer, with Emmanuel Sabbi’s shot crashing off both posts in the 62nd minute as Miami escaped.
But with the Whitecaps in complete control, the Canadians were stunned when Miami regained the lead after a blunder by midfielder Andres Cubas.
Cubas took too long in possession and was robbed by Messi, who skipped clear before releasing De Paul to provide the clinical finish.
Vancouver never recovered from that hammer blow and Miami started the party in injury time when Messi played in Allende for the third to make it 3-1.
The win marks the crowning achievement of Inter Miami since the club — which entered the league as an expansion club in 2020 — successfully lured Messi to Miami in 2023.
Saturday’s victory also marked the end of an era for two key figures in Miami’s rise to the top of Major League Soccer, with former Spanish internationals Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets heading into retirement.
