Five times, the Nuggets started their crunch-time offense in the same exact set, and five times, the Clippers have lost since trading for James Harden.
The blockbuster deal with Philadelphia early this season added reinforcement — detractors would call it redundancy — to a Los Angeles lineup already stacked with big-name guards and wings. It’s more natural for coach Ty Lue to use a small lineup down the stretch in close games now due to his personnel, especially thanks to the isolation scoring potential of so many players.
Add in the fact that two-time MVP Nikola Jokic has occasionally struggled against smaller, stingier defenders, and it made sense that the Clippers were rolling the dice late in their in-season tournament game Tuesday at Denver, using a lineup without starting center Ivica Zubac.
The Nuggets still found a way to exploit it. They ran their offense out of the same set, over and over.
“It’s a play that we usually run for our power forwards,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “But it’s something I had on my play-call sheet as a coaching play for Nikola, when teams are switching pick-and-roll.”
Point guard Reggie Jackson brings the ball up toward the left wing. Jokic starts on the right wing and uses screens from Aaron Gordon and Michael Porter Jr. to rotate to the block on Jackson’s side. Generally, Jackson feeds Jokic with an entry pass. Jokic is the quintessential take-what-the-defense-gives player. So next, see what the defense gives.
The Clippers had a “small” lineup of Harden, Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Norman Powell and Terance Mann with 3:20 left and a 102-98 lead. Leonard had Jokic marked as the Nuggets set up their offense. Denver used the play. “The great thing about that play is (Jokic) has the option to post up directly, depending on how they guard him on the initial screen,” Malone said. That’s how it transpired the first time, with Leonard navigating through the screens and Jokic posting up the smaller matchup. Leonard has been an outstanding defender for a decade, but with pure bully ball, Jokic drew a foul and narrowed the deficit to 102-100.
The Nuggets, one of the least effective teams in the NBA at getting to the line this season, dramatically improved by attempting 21 free throws in the second half, not shying away from the Clippers’ relentless physicality. In their last game, a loss in Houston, they attempted 14 the entire game.
“I can hear my father right now,” Malone said, invoking a lesson from former NBA coach Brendan Malone, who recently died. “He was always preaching, ‘Get into the bonus early.’”
Denver’s next possession, the lengthier George switched onto Jokic. Again, the Nuggets cleared out, but this time Jokic used a spin move to get to the cup instead of backing down his defender all the way. He snatched his own miss and scored to tie it.
Third time: George on Jokic. Jokic gets the ball. The Clippers send help finally (Powell), because what choice is there? Jokic passes out of the double team to Kentavious Caldwell-Pope at the top of the key, and Caldwell-Pope finds alone Aaron Gordon under the basket. Go-ahead layup.
Fourth time: P.J. Tucker is in the game for Los Angeles. He, Leonard and Harden — three smaller players — all crowd the wedge screen area, anticipating the play and trying to deny Jokic an easy path to his spot. Their backs are to the ball. Jackson drives around Mann for an easy layup and a 107-104 lead.
“Obviously we milked it, and Nikola and Reggie made all the right plays,” Malone said.
Fifth time: Instead of positioning himself between Jokic and the basket, Leonard attempts to disrupt the entry pass by “fronting” the post. Jackson lollipops it. Almost a turnover, but two Clippers can’t corral it. Gordon snakes underneath again and Jokic finds his easiest assist of the night.
Gordon’s reverse dunk was Denver’s last field goal, for a 109-104 lead in what ended as a 111-108 win.
“He’s always in the right spot,” Jokic said. “… It’s not just me. I think we are just experienced, how we are playing together. We could lose this game, but I think we would lose it in the right way.”
In the 49 intervening seconds, the Nuggets’ clutch execution left plenty to be desired. For the second time in three games, Jokic committed a bad last-minute turnover while trying to protect the ball long enough to get fouled. Jackson missed his foul shots, prompting him to tell Malone after the game that he was on his way to the practice gym upstairs in Ball Arena to work on his free throws. (Later in the locker room, Malone asked Jackson if he made his free throws this time. “I’ve got you next time, coach,” an upbeat Jackson answered.) And before the win could be secured, the Nuggets had to benefit from a wedgied 3-point attempt by the sharpshooting George.
But even that lucky ending was a product of Denver’s effort and collective IQ throughout the night. Early in the game, George was scoring easily. Then the Nuggets committed Caldwell-Pope and help defenders to him as frequently as possible, wearing him down. “I think that affected his rhythm a little bit,” Malone said.
The Nuggets entered Tuesday with the best clutch defensive rating in the league (83.8), and they held Los Angeles to two made field goals in the last six minutes.
“It’s crazy, but we kind of think (Caldwell-Pope) can stop everybody,” Jokic said.
And with Jokic forcing the hands of opposing defenses, Denver’s offense can out-smart everybody. Even with one set.
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