Deadspin | Revived Clippers take on Nuggets after All-Star interlude

[ad_1] Feb 11, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Clippers ahead Kawhi Leonard (2) reacts to his successful basket towards the Houston Rockets within the fourth quarter at Toyota Middle. Obligatory Credit score: Thomas Shea-Imagn Pictures Whereas the All-Star Sport infrastructure figures to be gone by the point the Los Angeles Clippers play host to the Denver Nuggets on Thursday, a lot of the momentum is predicted to stay.

Each groups will resume the post-break portion of their schedule after they meet at Inglewood, Calif., the positioning of final weekend's All-Star festivities.

Whereas the Nuggets' Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray began for Crew World, the Clippers' hometown hero Kawhi Leonard stole a few of the highlight as a starter for USA Stripes.

Leonard scored 31 factors towards Crew World throughout a 12-minute "sport" that allowed USA Stripes to play for the title within the three-team event towards USA Stars. Within the title sport, USA Stripes fizzled as a drained Leonard missed all 4 of his photographs from the ground whereas scoring one level.

"I used to be pleased for him, simply to be in our enviornment, in our constructing and play the way in which he did. It was good," Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue stated. "The group was actually into it. They had been going loopy. Even his teammates had been going loopy about it. It was good to see."

Leonard's scoring burst regarded much like what he has proven whereas main the Clippers to a revival since simply earlier than Christmas. Los Angeles began the season 6-21, however since Lue turned Leonard unfastened, they're 20-7.

The Clippers are tenth within the Western Convention and maintain the final play-in spot with two months left within the common season. Nevertheless, they are going to proceed with out James Harden, who was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers on the deadline for Darius Garland, whose toe harm has delayed his crew debut.

So how can Los Angeles proceed its surge?

"Simply the identical factor we have now been doing, with the trouble, staying aggressive, desirous to compete each evening, pushing the tempo, rebounding," Leonard stated. "That has been what we have now been doing the final couple of weeks."

Jokic solely noticed 5 minutes of motion within the All-Star Sport and did not rating some extent. Murray shot 0-for-6 with out scoring in a single 12-minute sport and had eight factors in one other.

Denver resumes play in third place within the Western Convention, 3 1/2 video games behind the second-place San Antonio Spurs and 6 1/2 video games behind the first-place Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder.

The Nuggets had been simply 2-4 heading into All-Star weekend in a stumble that began after a 122-109 residence victory over the Clippers.

Jokic won't have a lot love for the All-Star Sport, however he confirmed simply how a lot the common season issues to him with 4 consecutive triple-doubles earlier than the break. He has 184 in his profession, second most all-time behind former teammate Russell Westbrook.

Aaron Gordon (hamstring) has missed the final 9 video games, whereas Peyton Watson (hamstring) missed the previous three. Denver nonetheless put collectively a 122-116 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies earlier than the break began.

"I am not involved," Nuggets head coach David Adelman stated of the crew's current type. "We had some guys that had been exhausted.

"We wished to get a win going into the break. And that is what they did. The fellows toughed it out. ... All these guys want a break, not simply from basketball however from one another (and) from me."