The Los Angeles Clippers made history on Thursday night, securing their first-ever playoff victory at the newly opened Intuit Dome, dominating the Denver Nuggets with a convincing 117-83 win in Game 3 of the Western Conference first-round series. The Clippers now hold a 2-1 series lead as they continue their quest for an NBA Championship.

Clippers coach Tyronn Lue emphasized the importance of maintaining focus and pushing his team to perform at their highest level, despite the blowout win. “We got to build off it. It’s only two games, but today I liked our approach,” Lue said. “I liked what we did defensively. It’s still going to be a tough series. It ain’t over because we had a blowout. It’s only one game. So, we got to be ready to come and validate that on Saturday.”

The Clippers’ victory was built on a balanced scoring attack and stingy defense. Six players scored in double figures, with Norman Powell leading the charge with 20 points on 7-for-12 shooting. Kawhi Leonard added a double-double with 21 points and 11 rebounds in 35 minutes, while James Harden scored 20 points, all in the first half, alongside nine assists and six rebounds. Ivica Zubac contributed 19 points and nine rebounds, and Nicolas Batum came off the bench to score 12 points, including a 4-for-6 shooting performance from beyond the arc.

The Clippers’ defense was perhaps the most impressive part of their performance, holding the Nuggets to just 40.3% shooting from the field and a mere 26.9% from three-point range. The Nuggets, despite another stellar triple-double performance from Nikola Jokic (23 points, 13 rebounds, 13 assists), were unable to overcome the Clippers’ dominance.

“We have to keep watching film, get better,” said Batum, who also recorded three blocked shots. “We have to be ready for them on Saturday because they are going to be ready for us.”

The Clippers built a commanding 31-point lead during the game, forcing Nuggets interim coach David Adelman to pull his starters with just 4:34 remaining, preparing them for the pivotal Game 4 at the Intuit Dome on Saturday.

Harden’s first-half performance was crucial in setting the tone for the Clippers. The veteran guard scored 11 of the Clippers’ final 16 points in the first quarter, and assisted on three more, including a three-pointer by Batum with 1.5 seconds left in the opening period. Harden finished the first half shooting 6-for-10 from the field and 3-for-5 from three-point range, helping to extend the Clippers’ lead to 20 points by halftime.

The sold-out crowd at the Intuit Dome provided an electric atmosphere, giving the Clippers a significant boost as they pushed forward to seal the victory. “When tip-off came, the whole arena was filled and it was packed, sold out all the way to the top,” Powell said. “The energy was amazing from start to finish. I’m glad our first playoff game was a win here. But we still have more work to do. We got to be ready and focused and locked in on Saturday. They’re a great team, they are a championship team, so we got to be ready to play.”

Key Takeaways:

• Clippers secure historic 117-83 win over Nuggets at Intuit Dome, leading series 2-1.

• James Harden leads early charge, scoring 20 points in the first half.

• Kawhi Leonard records double-double with 21 points and 11 rebounds.

• Clippers defense stifles Nuggets, holding them to 40.3% shooting.

• Game 4 set for Saturday at the Intuit Dome as the Clippers aim to extend series lead.