The Denver Nuggets beat the Los Angeles Clippers despite being without Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon and they have Reggie Jackson and DeAndre Jordan to thank.
Jackson and Jordan, who used to play for the Clippers, combined for 56 points, 18 rebounds and 18 assists.
“Definitely one of the sweeter ones,” Jackson said. “We got our main guys out and it was really great for the team, a resilient group, the way we came together. I was just proud of the way we kept battling.”
Jackson put up 35 points, five rebounds and 13 assists while shooting 15-of-19 from the field, 3-of-4 from beyond the arc and 2-of-4 from the free-throw line. Meanwhile, Jordan finished with 21 points, 13 rebounds and five assists.
“I might have been the one that was the recipient of the points,” Jackson said. “But my old head DJ getting on the rim, being back in this building looking like young Lob City a little bit. He drew all the defense in and everybody was open on the weak side.”
Jackson and Jordan combined for 20 points in the fourth quarter when the Nuggets trailed by 11. Jackson began and ended a 22-6 run with 3-pointers that put the Nuggets ahead 99-94. In between, he fed Jordan for two dunks.
“Tonight, the lob was there,” Jordan said. “We made them pay on different things.”
The Nuggets improved to 12-6 on the season, while the Clippers dropped to 7-9.
“When you can win games like this with some of your best players out, that speaks to your depth but also the belief in one another,” Nuggets head coach Michael Malone said. “Tonight was special.”
More must-reads: