INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Tyronn Lue has spent years thinking about what could have been. Playoff heartbreaks. Injuries at the worst times. Inconsistent lineups. For a franchise long defined by frustration, the last few seasons have been especially painful for the Los Angeles Clippers.
But on Thursday night, in front of a raucous crowd at the brand-new Intuit Dome, the Clippers delivered a performance that made you wonder: Could this be the season everything finally clicks?
Behind a commanding effort from Kawhi Leonard and James Harden, the Clippers dismantled the defending champion Denver Nuggets 117–83 to take a 2–1 lead in their first-round series. Leonard was locked in on both ends, scoring 21 points while locking down Michael Porter Jr. Harden chipped in 20 points, six rebounds, and nine assists in a masterclass of efficiency and decision-making.
“We made shots,” Harden said simply. But it was more than that.
The Clippers dominated every aspect of the game. They held the Nuggets to 40.3% shooting from the field and a miserable 26.9% from beyond the arc. Denver’s MVP center Nikola Jokic summed it up best:
“They were better than us in every aspect of the game.”
Leonard, recovering from a lingering knee injury, looks like the best version of himself again. He’s averaging 21.5 points per game in under 32 minutes while shooting 41.1% from deep. In this series, his presence has been especially felt—on the scoreboard and in his defensive leadership.
“There’s guys on the floor that want to guard,” Leonard said postgame. “These guys are looking opponents in the eye and saying, ‘I want them.’ That motivates me.”
And it’s not just the stars. Ivica Zubac poured in 19 points and continued his breakout campaign, while role players like Norman Powell, Kris Dunn, Derrick Jones Jr., and Nicolas Batum have filled the void left by Paul George’s departure to Philadelphia.
“When you think about an NBA team, this is what you envision,” said Harden. “Everyone knows their role. That’s what makes this team special.”
Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue echoed the sentiment, praising the team’s chemistry and buy-in.
“When you have a group that understands their roles and accepts them every single night, it’s a coach’s dream,” Lue said. “This group gets it.”
James Harden, once viewed as a gamble at age 35 and with a hefty $70 million contract, has silenced critics by playing 79 games this season and consistently impacting the game with his savvy playmaking. On Thursday, he dropped 13 points in the first quarter alone, setting the tone early.
The win marks a historic night—not only for its dominance but for being the first-ever playoff game at Steve Ballmer’s $2 billion Intuit Dome, a stunning new arena that’s already become a fortress. Even Nuggets assistant coach David Adelman, who earlier questioned the authenticity of the atmosphere, later admitted:
“I love what they are doing here. The NBA needs more of that.”
There’s still work to be done. Beating Denver twice more won’t be easy, especially with Jokic at the helm. But for the first time in a long time, hope feels real for Clippers fans.
“If we can do this throughout the playoffs,” Leonard said, “that would be amazing.”
Inside the Intuit Dome, surrounded by die-hard fans—real fans—you could feel it: belief.