Summarize and humanize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs in EnglishThe last time the LA Clippers and Denver Nuggets met in the playoffs was during the 2020 Western Conference semifinals, when the Nuggets overcame a 3-1 deficit for the second consecutive series in the NBA bubble. That resulted in the Clippers’ last coaching change, replacing longtime coach Doc Rivers with then-assistant Tyronn Lue.This time around, Lue is coaching against Denver interim coach David Adelman, who replaced Michael Malone 11 days before Game 1 of the first round. Like Lue, Adelman was also an assistant coach during the 2020 Clippers-Nuggets series. The only players remaining from that 2020 series are Clippers Kawhi Leonard, Ivica Zubac and Amir Coffey; and Nuggets Nikola Jokić, Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr. and Vlatko Čančar.This series marks the first time that James Harden, an All-Star for the Clippers this season, faces the Nuggets in the postseason. It is also the first time that the Nuggets will see Leonard, who missed all four regular-season meetings between the teams. Denver backup point guard and LA native Russell Westbrook was also with the Clippers in the previous two postseasons.The Clippers won their last eight games of the season, while the Nuggets won their last three. They both went 50-32 and split the regular-season series for the second year in a row; the Clippers have never won a regular-season series against the Nuggets in Lue’s five seasons.What will the playoffs bring? Let’s take a look at some matchups:Clippers’ perimeter offense vs. Nuggets’ perimeter defenseThe Clippers’ offense and the Nuggets’ defense ranked 21st in 3s made per game and allowed per game after the All-Star break, respectively. But only the Oklahoma City Thunder made a higher percentage than the 39.8 percent that the Clippers shot after the break; Denver ranks 23rd in 3-point percentage allowed since the break.Denver is going to have to deal with a plethora of perimeter scoring from the Clippers. In his 16th NBA season, Harden led the league in isolation points per game (9.0; Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was second with 7.7, per Synergy). LA’s offense starts there, though Leonard has emerged throughout the last several weeks as a punishing shooter who has made 46.2 percent of 3s above the break and 45.3 percent from the midrange since the All-Star break. Harden’s dominance and Leonard’s breakthrough have relegated 41.8 percent 3-point shooter Norman Powell down the pecking order.The Nuggets are likely going to start with shooting guard Christian Braun on Harden, with Aaron Gordon being needed to watch Leonard. But that leaves either Murray or Porter on Powell, depending on who doesn’t get hidden on Kris Dunn to start games. Denver certainly could use Westbrook in this series defensively to agitate Harden, but the Clippers will also feature Bogdan Bogdanović with the starters in place of Dunn, giving LA yet another versatile threat. The Nuggets must defend without fouling, especially against foul magnets Harden and Powell.Advantage: ClippersClippers’ interior offense vs. Nuggets’ interior defenseAs good as Leonard has been as a shooter, his offensive threat is amplified because he has been in the paint and scoring efficiently with increased volume.Leonard has made 48.8 percent of his shots in the paint outside the restricted area and 74.7 percent of his shots inside the restricted area since the All-Star break. And he’s not even LA’s top paint threat.The Basketball 100The story of the greatest players in NBA history. In 100 riveting profiles, top basketball writers justify their selections and uncover the history of the NBA in the process.The story of the greatest players in NBA history.BuySince the All-Star break, Ivica Zubac has averaged 16.7 points per game in the paint. Not only does that lead the Clippers, but only New Orleans forward Zion Williamson and Milwaukee superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo averaged more points in the paint since the break. Yes, Zubac was scoring more in the paint over the last two months than MVP candidate Jokić (16.1 points per game in the paint). Denver has been a bottom-10 paint defense since the All-Star break, so expect the Clippers to focus on living inside. The only factor in Denver’s favor is that the Clippers don’t help Zubac on the offensive glass, while Denver has been a top-10 defensive rebounding team since the break.Advantage: ClippersClippers’ control vs. Nuggets’ pressureBall control was a major issue for the Clippers most of the season, and Harden had a season-worst nine turnovers in a December loss at Denver. Harden still led the NBA in turnovers after the All-Star break.Dunn, however, started to alleviate Harden’s ballhandling burden, while Leonard has helped the Clippers take better care of the ball as he has progressed throughout the season. Ben Simmons has also been a strong passer who avoids turnovers. LA doesn’t move the ball much, but it ranked sixth in the NBA in turnover percentage since the All-Star break, compared to 28th going into the break.On the flip side, Denver’s defense is one of the lightest in the league when it comes to takeaways. Only the Phoenix Suns and Utah Jazz were worse at forcing turnovers after the All-Star break. Jokić has active hands, averaging nearly 2.0 steals per game, while Murray, Braun and Westbrook average at least 1.0 steals each. But Denver’s priority is to not risk fouling, and that should allow the Clippers to comfortably operate Harden’s offense.Advantage: Clippers
Jamal Murray defends James Harden during Denver’s win over the Clippers in December. (Isaiah J. Downing/ Imagn Images)Clippers’ pressure vs. Nuggets’ controlThe Nuggets were the only team in the league to average more than 30 assists per game this season. Jokić averaged a triple-double for the first time, while both Murray and Westbrook cleared six assists per game.Denver is not good at taking care of the basketball, though. Since the All-Star break, Jokić has averaged 3.7 turnovers per game. That’s understandable for the only player in the NBA who touches the ball 100 times a game, per Second Spectrum. But that’s still north of Jokić’s career average of 2.9 turnovers per game. And then add in Westbrook’s turnovers, which are up to 3.6 per game since the break in far fewer touches than Jokić. Only Harden, Trae Young and Luka Dončić had more total turnovers than Westbrook after the All-Star break despite 58 players being on the floor for more minutes than Westbrook in that span.The Clippers were a top-five team in generating steals since the All-Star break. Only Dyson Daniels had more total steals than Dunn in that span, and Leonard and Harden were also in the top 10 in steals over the last two months. It will be a real adventure when the Nuggets pass the ball, but they’re set to lose the possession battle in this series.Advantage: ClippersClippers’ interior defense vs. Nuggets’ interior offenseThis is the clearest path toward success for the Nuggets. No team relies more on the paint than Denver, and no team posts up more often. That’s what you do when you have a three-time MVP in Jokić, who not only dominates inside but also finds waves of teammates for buckets as well.The Nuggets aren’t just residing in the key; they’re efficient when they have opportunities to score at the rim. Denver has also been a top-10 offensive rebounding team as well since the All-Star break; that part will be a major challenge after the Clippers finished the season as the league’s best defensive rebounding team.The Clippers have a Defensive Player of the Year candidate in Zubac, who is capable of making things tougher on Jokić. But a key factor in this series is Jokić being able to find his cutters from the elbow or from the perimeter, drawing Zubac away from the basket. LA’s non-Zubac rim protection is among the worst in the NBA. LA’s priority is to keep the ball from the paint, force tough shots and get steals before shots are even attempted. Harden is going to take on Gordon, and Harden will attempt to use his bulk to defend and chop down on the ball as a last resort. But if Zubac is away from the hoop, the Clippers are very easy to finish against at the basket. Denver was the only team in the league to make more than half of its total shots from the field this season.Advantage: NuggetsClippers’ perimeter defense vs. Nuggets’ perimeter offensePer Synergy, the Nuggets run the fifth-fewest isolations in the league, while only the Grizzlies run fewer pick-and-rolls. The Nuggets are the only team in the league that attempts fewer 3s than the Clippers do, and they’re not nearly as accurate as LA is at making those 3s. Moreover, the Clippers have been a top-10 defense against 3s.That doesn’t mean Denver doesn’t have threats. Gordon, Westbrook, Peyton Watson, Jalen Pickett and Porter all shoot north of 42 percent on corner 3s this season. Westbrook and Watson are sub-30 percent shooters above the break, but Gordon is also at 41.5 percent on his above-the-break 3s. Braun is average in the corners, but he is hitting 42.3 percent above the break. Jokić is rarely in the corner, but he shoots 43.5 percent from above the break. They will burn the Clippers if they are not respected in their spots.Because the Clippers want to force turnovers, they will foul. No team attempted more free throws than the Nuggets this season. If the Clippers dare to leave Jokić single-covered with a non-Zubac defender, you might as well line it up.So much of this series comes down to discipline and containing Murray. That will be Dunn’s job to start, with Derrick Jones Jr. in relief off the bench. Expect Leonard to start on Porter, but he could switch to Murray later. The Clippers know what Murray can do in the playoffs; in Game 7 in 2020, Murray had 40 points, outscoring Leonard, Paul George, Marcus Morris Sr. and Lou Williams by himself despite that quartet combining to attempt 58 shots in that game.Advantage: DrawBasketball special teamsDenver led the NBA in fast-break points, with Braun leading all scorers in that department individually. That is a point of emphasis for the Clippers. On the flip side, Denver is a bottom-10 free-throw shooting team percentage-wise, while the Clippers are in the top 10.Advantage: DrawCoachingThis is Lue’s happy place, and he and his staff led the Clippers to a franchise-best 18-3 finish. He has his team’s full attention, and everyone knows their role. Conversely, for Adelman, this is as challenging a spot as a head coach has been in going into the playoffs since Bill Blair had to take over the New Jersey Nets in 1983 following Larry Brown’s departure with six games left.Advantage: ClippersIntangiblesDenver has home-court advantage, and the mental edge that comes with its best players leading a 3-1 comeback against Leonard’s team. Leonard is also trying to play in his first full playoff series since 2021. Westbrook playing a series against his old team is going to be an item to watch.Advantage: NuggetsBottom LineThe Nuggets have the best player in the series, and they have beaten the Clippers 13 out of 19 times, including seven of nine at home. This won’t be a short or easy series for these teams. But the Clippers are playing their best basketball right now, and they’re being led by players in Harden and Leonard who don’t have much time left to achieve something special. LA already knows how to play desperate, inspired basketball and excel. The Clippers will need all of that grit and focus to win this series; it helps that Denver is the worst defense in the postseason field. Harden, Leonard, Zubac and Powell could have enough to each lead the Clippers to a win in this series.Prediction: Clippers in 7(Top photo of Nikola Jokić and Kris Dunn: Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)
