This Saturday April 19th, The Denver Nuggets played their first game against the 5th seed Las Angeles Clippers at home where they pulled off an exciting comeback to win 112–110 in overtime. This was after falling behind by 15 points in the first half, as the Nuggets showed great determination to battle back and take an early lead in the series.

Nikola Jokic led the charge with a near triple-double, scoring 29 points, grabbing 12 assists, and almost pulling in 10 rebounds. His leadership was key at crucial moments. Aaron Gordon chipped in with 25 points, including six in overtime, while Jamal Murray added 21 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists, rounding out a solid offensive effort.

Russell Westbrook made some important plays toward the end of the game. He hit a big three-pointer late in regulation, marking his first go-ahead three in the last 30 seconds of a playoff game. His defence was also sharp, disrupting an inbounds pass from James Harden with just 9.6 seconds left in overtime, helping Denver hold on to the lead.

In overtime Christian Braun hit a crucial corner three-pointer that shifted the momentum back to Denver. It was his only three of the night, but it came at just the right moment, showing how calm he can be in tough situations. Besides that shot, Braun brought his usual energy on defense, bothering the Clippers guards and going after loose balls.

The Clippers came into the playoffs strong, having won 18 of their last 21 games, and they started hot, leading by 15 points at one stage. James Harden topped the scoring with 32 points and 11 assists, while Kawhi Leonard and Ivica Zubac added 27 and 21 points, respectively. But with 20 turnovers, we they made it tough on themselves in a close game.

Looking ahead, the Nuggets want to keep their momentum going in Game 2, which is set for Monday night at Ball Arena.