James Harden highlighted Los Angeles’ resilience and Kawhi Leonard’s dominance following the Clippers’ 105-102 win over the Denver Nuggets in Game 2 on Monday night.
With the first-round series now tied 1-1, Leonard’s 39-point performance on 15-of-19 shooting stood out as the Clippers regained momentum on the road.
“He just got to his spot and raised up,” Harden said when asked about Leonard’s offensive rhythm. “That’s the aggressiveness we need from him—no matter who’s guarding him.”
The Clippers trailed by six after the first quarter but took control in the second half, limiting Denver to 11 fastbreak points and forcing 20 turnovers.
Nikola Jokic finished with 26 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists but committed seven giveaways and missed four free throws, including two in the final minutes.
Christian Braun and Jokic both missed potential game-tying threes in the closing seconds as Los Angeles held on.
Harden, who had 18 points and seven assists, addressed his early ball-handling issues, saying, “Still got to be better… I tried to advance it—it was the right play—I just got to complete the pass.”
The 10-time All-Star acknowledged the physical challenge of defending Jokic and Aaron Gordon while staying out of foul trouble.
“I usually don’t get five fouls,” Harden said, referring to Game 1. “Tonight, I had some shot opportunities, and Kawhi had it going. At that point, you just sit back and figure out how you can impact the game.”
Norman Powell added 13 points off the bench, including two crucial threes in the fourth quarter, while Ivica Zubac recorded 16 points and 12 boards.
Kawhi’s late-game defense included a steal off Jokic with 37 seconds left, further underscoring his impact on both ends.
“He’s a killer,” Harden said. “I’m glad he’s in a good space right now.”
When asked about Leonard’s dedication behind the scenes, Harden detailed the superstar’s daily habits.
“It’s the preparation. It’s the treatment. It’s the strengthening of his body. It’s consistent—every single day.”
Harden also addressed Leonard’s underappreciated career journey.
“It’s always negative… we don’t appreciate how great he is when he’s actually out there putting on performances like tonight.”
Los Angeles shot 48.2% from the floor and made 13-of-34 threes, while Denver converted 63.6% from the line despite hitting 14-of-32 from deep.
The win marks Tyronn Lue’s 19th in the Clippers’ last 22 outings and hands interim Nuggets coach David Adelman his first playoff loss.
Looking ahead to Thursday’s Game 3 at Intuit Dome, Harden kept expectations grounded.
“This is my 16th year, so I understand what you’re up against… It’s even-keeled—we didn’t get too low after losing Game 1, and we’re not getting too high after tonight.”
