Thursday night was the first home playoff game for the LA Clippers at the Intuit Dome. The series between Denver and LA was tied 1-1 after the Clippers took Game 2, 105-102.Â
In Game 3, the Nuggets quickly jumped out to a double-digit lead. However, the Clippers had a response of their own. Going on a 23-2 run that extended into the second quarter. In the end, the Nuggets never recovered and lost 117-83. To make matters worse, injuries are starting to pile up for Denver.
Can the Nuggets battle back from being down 2-1 to the Clippers?
Nuggets just confirmed it’s a foot injury. https://t.co/phYU0QDijl
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) April 25, 2025
At the end of Game 2, the Nuggets were in crunch time with the Clippers. Unfortunately, Michael Porter Jr. turned the ball over late, and LA won the game. On the play, Porter Jr. turned the ball over, he dove on the ground to try and regain possession. When that happened, a Clippers player fell on top of him, and Porter Jr. injured his shoulder. He was available to play in Game 3 but was far from 100% healthy.
After the game, he explained to reporters that his injury normally takes 4-5 weeks to fully heal. Doctors told him the injury would not get worse unless Proter Jr. sprained it again. He played through the pain in Game 3 but was not an effective player. The 26-year-old finished the game with seven points and was 2-9 from beyond the arc. Porter Jr. estimated that his shoulder is 20-30 % healthy.
On top of Porter Jr. not being healthy, veteran guard Russell Westbrook suffered an injury pre-game. ESPN’s Ramona Shelbourne reported that Westbrook turned his left foot. He attempted to play through the injury before he was subbed out in the second quarter. Westbrook did not play in the second half. Not ideal for the Nuggets, who rely on Westbrook’s production off the bench. That’s two key players who will not be fully healthy for Game 4 on Saturday night. Denver cannot afford to lose another game and be down 3-1 in the series. Game 4 is a must-win for the Nuggets.
