“ZUBAC OWNS JOKIC. MY F***ING CENTER”: Clippers fans ecstatic with thriller win over defending champs

With the help of Ivica Zubac, the LA Clippers were able to withstand the reigning champions, the Denver Nuggets in a hard-fought 102-100 win at the Cypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

The Clippers lost their first two matchup against the Nuggets, however, since then they have won two straight to tie their season series and were able to bounce back from a lopsided 109-95 defeat to their Pacific Division rivals, the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday.

Clippers fans were ecstatic for the team to upset the Nuggets, and shared their reactions on X. One fan notably said:

"ZUBAC OWNS JOKIC. MY F***ING CENTER"

In the fourth quarter, there was a notable matchup between the two centers, with both frequently involved in pick-and-roll situations that resulted in mismatches. Ivica scored eight points and grabbed four rebounds, shooting 1 of 2 from the field and making all six of his free throws in nine minutes during the period.

His free throws were a result of James Harden targeting Nikola Jokic, which led to Christian Braun being switched onto Zubac in the paint. Zubac drew multiple fouls under the rim during these matchups. Notably, he also guarded Jokic in the paint to disrupt his floaters, which contributed to slowing down the Nuggets' rhythm.

The win was big for the Clippers as they were without their best player Kawhi Leonard due to knee soreness as he missed his second straight game. @_alexyao_ rightly pointed out:

"Today clippers was amazing, but harden missed some critical shots during the last couple minutes. As Shaq said today, harden needs to lock in for the playoffs he needs to play out and so is Paul George. Wish the clippers the best luck!"

The same user mentioned the significance of James Harden stepping up in the win and that he would need to be aggressive like he was on Thursday.

"Today harden played it fairly well compared to his recent performance, but he missed some critical shots during the last couple minutes. As Shaq said today, harden needs to lock in for the playoffs he needs to play out and so is Paul George. Wish the clippers the best luck! 🔥"

Notably, @_Michael521 lauded James Harden's statline; however, highlighted the amount of shots he took and on his inefficiency, alebit favoring the Clippers without Kawhi Leonard.

"Harden produced 40 ( 20 +21-1 ) points for Clippers and with PG who produced 29 ( 28+4-5) carried team to win."

@_Michael521 tweet on James Harden

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LA Clippers able to hold off the Denver Nuggets' late game surge

Paul George netted 28 points while James Harden contributed 20 as LA rallied from a 17-point deficit to secure a 102-100 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night.

Nikola Jokic posted a remarkable performance with 36 points, 17 rebounds, and 10 assists, marking his 24th triple-double of the season, as he spearheaded the effort for the Denver Nuggets. Aaron Gordon also contributed to Denver's efforts with 18 points.

Carrying a 75-70 lead into the fourth quarter, LA demonstrated their prowess from the free-throw line, sinking 9 of 10 attempts as they expanded their advantage to 90-79.

George re-entered the game for LA, while Jokic returned to the court for the Nuggets. In a dramatic turn, the Nuggets outpaced the Clippers 18-8, narrowing the gap to a mere point, with LA holding a slim 98-97 lead. Ivica Zubac showcased his composure at the free-throw line, sinking four consecutive shots.

However, Jokic countered with a clutch 3-pointer, slicing the Clippers' lead to a tense 102-100. With the game on the line, James Harden's jumper missed its mark, prompting the Nuggets to call a crucial timeout with just five seconds remaining.

In a last-ditch effort, and under the tight defense of P.J. Tucker, Jokic attempted a potential game-winning 3-pointer, only to see it miss as time expired, securing the win.