Denver Nuggets close gap on Golden State Warriors with win over LA Clippers

Nikola Jokic had 22 points and 16 rebounds while Paul Millsap scored 21 and also grabbed 16 boards as the Denver Nuggets beat the Los Angeles Clippers 123-96 on Sunday.

Jamal Murray scored 16 points and Gary Harris added 14 off the bench in his second game back from injury to help the Nuggets pull to within a game of Golden State at the top of the Western Conference.

They lead Oklahoma City by three games in the Northwest Division.

Lou Williams had 24 points for the Clippers, who had a brief two-game winning streak snapped in their quest to claim a playoff spot.

They currently occupy the final berth in the West with a 33-28 record, one game clear of the Sacramento Kings and level with seventh-placed San Antonio Spurs, who also lost on Sunday night.

The Nuggets stretched an eight-point half-time lead with a big surge to start the third quarter, scoring the first eight points of the second half, including Mason Plumlee's bank-shot 3-pointer from the top of the circle that made it 72-56.

It was only the second three-pointer of the season and career for Plumlee.

Later in the period, Millsap converted a three-point play to give Denver an 80-61 lead.

The Clippers cut the lead to 12 with a 9-2 run that was started by Williams' three-pointer, the first of the game for LA, who missed their first 15 attempts from beyond the arc, including all 12 in the first half.

A three-pointer Harris and two layups by Monte Morris then sparked a 10-0 Denver run that made it 92-70 late in the third and although the Clippers made a short run to get within 15 with a chance to get closer, Denver scored the next seven points to put it away.

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