NBA: Bennedict Mathurin lifts Clippers to tight win over Nuggets

Bennedict Mathurin scored a season-high 38 points in his home debut for the Los Angeles Clippers, while Kawhi Leonard added 23, leading Los Angeles to a 115-114 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Thursday at Inglewood, Calif.

Derrick Jones Jr. contributed 22 points, and John Collins added 11 points with 12 rebounds, helping the Clippers snap a two-game home losing streak. Los Angeles has gone 21-7 since Dec. 20 and moved into ninth place in the Western Conference, securing a potential play-in tournament spot.

The Clippers held a 115-112 lead with 9.1 seconds remaining after two free throws by Mathurin. Denver had a chance to tie when Jamal Murray was fouled on a 3-point attempt by Jones with 0.9 seconds left. Murray made the first two free throws but missed the third, sending the game into the Clippers’ hands as time expired.

Mathurin is playing in just his third game since joining the Clippers from the Indiana Pacers in a trade-deadline deal. Leonard reached 20 points for the 34th consecutive game.

For Denver, Nikola Jokic finished with 22 points, 17 rebounds, and six assists, ending his four-game triple-double streak. Murray added 20 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists, while Bruce Brown scored 19 points. The Nuggets have gone 2-5 since Feb. 1.

The game turned physical early in the fourth quarter when Denver’s Jonas Valanciunas clashed with Clippers’ Yanic Konan Niederhauser, Mathurin, and Kris Dunn. The altercation resulted in three technical fouls, two on Los Angeles. Denver made one technical free throw to tie the game at 83.

The Nuggets were without Aaron Gordon and Peyton Watson due to hamstring injuries. Darius Garland has yet to debut for the Clippers after being acquired from the Cleveland Cavaliers in the trade that sent James Harden to Cleveland.

Los Angeles finished the first quarter with an 8-0 run to take a 25-24 lead after falling behind by nine early. Denver led 52-45 at halftime, powered by 17 points from Brown, while Mathurin had 18 for the Clippers.

Murray and Jokic represented the Nuggets in Sunday’s All-Star Game at the same venue, while Leonard represented the host Clippers.

-Field Level Media/Reuters