It Gets Interesting but Clippers Lose

DENVER —  There were highlights and lowlights, but in the end, there was another Clipper loss, this time, 82-80, to the Denver Nuggets after Lamond Murray missed a last-second shot, on Sunday night before 8,404 at McNichols Arena.

Denver’s Chauncey Billups provided the game-deciding basket on a short bank shot with 3.9 seconds left.

In the early going, the Clippers led, 16-11, when Billups had the ball in front of the Clipper bench. “Pick, Pick! Watch out for the pick,” guard Sherman Douglas shouted. Despite his warning, Billups drove around a pick set by Danny Fortson and then passed to him for an easy layup.

On the Clippers’ next possession, Michael Olowokandi--who had eight points in the first quarter--forced a turnaround jump shot that missed badly. “What was that? Come on get a better shot than that,” assistant Jim Brewer yelled.

The Clippers finished the first quarter tied, 22-22, and on their first possession of the second, Douglas tried to get the ball into the post to Rodney Rogers and on his second try, he threw it directly into the chest of Denver’s Johnny Taylor. While standing near halfcourt, Clipper Coach Chris Ford just turned around with his arms folded, rolled his eyes and shook his head.

With the score tied at 26, the Clippers again forced it inside but this time Rogers backed in and made a short left-hand hook over the more slender Taylor. “He’s still too little for you Rod,” yelled a player from the bench.

Trailing, 45-40, at halftime, the Clippers opened the third quarter with a play designed to get the ball inside. Lorenzen Wright settled for and missed a shot from the perimeter. “Take it to the basket!,” Ford pleaded and then turned to his assistants. “We run a play and all we get is a 17-foot jump shot.”

Denver took a 53-43 lead but Tyrone Nesby, who had a team-high 21 points with five rebounds and four steals, brought the Clippers back almost single-handedly. At one point, he scored nine points in a row and 13 of his team’s 17. After he made a three-pointer at the 24-second clock buzzer.

The Clippers closed the quarter strong and Rogers, a former Nugget who had 10 points and six rebounds off the bench, helped them cut their deficit to four at 65-61 going into the fourth. “Rodney’s your man,” a courtside fan yelled to Ford.

With Denver clinging to a 68-65 lead and play stopped to correct the game clock, a Denver fan asked Murray if he still played in the league. Murray didn’t get mad. He just nodded his head “yes” and kept playing.

After the Nuggets extended their lead to 74-67, Douglas woke up the Clipper bench. He drove for a layup and made a steal and an another score. Murray then made two free throws and Denver’s lead was down to one. Clipper assistant Rex Kalamain barked out directions, “They’re going to [Antonio] McDyess.”

Moments later McDyess, who had 20 points and 13 rebounds, scored to give the Nuggets a 78-75 lead with 3:10 remaining. The teams exchanged a couple of missed shots before Murray scored on a jumper with 1:58 remaining. “Yes, now here we go, here we go guys,” yelled Ford with his team down, 78-77.

In the final minute, the Clippers blew two solid chances to take the lead. Douglas watched a pass bounce off the hands of Olowokandi under the basket and Murray had a strong baseline move stopped when his two-hand dunk attempt was blocked by Fortson with 14 seconds remaining.

Following two free throws by Billups, Murray made a tough three-point basket despite being closely guarded to tie the game at 80 with 8.7 seconds left. Murray was greeted with smiles and pats on the back by his teammates when he returned to the bench during a Denver timeout.

Billups, however, changed the Clippers’ mood when he drove the lane and made his bankshot to put the Nuggets ahead. The Clipper bench was solemn when Ford drew up the final play.

Rogers in-bounded the ball to Murray, who was forced to his left by Denver’s Bryant Stith. Murray’s shot from the deep corner didn’t come close as it banged against the side of the backboard. Game over.