The NBA announced that officials missed a call on the Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic in Game 2 of their first-round series against the Los Angeles Clippers. The Nuggets couldn’t hold on to a win as the Clippers rallied to tie the series 1-1. Jokic tried his best to lead the team and finished with 26 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. However, they suffered a tough 105-102 defeat.
Clippers star Kawhi Leonard couldn’t seem to miss a shot on the floor. He had 39 points on 78.9 percent shooting from the field. Leonard shot 4-for-7 from beyond the arc.
Throughout the game, it was close as both teams wanted to end with a win. However, the Clippers’ excellent play on both ends caused the Nuggets to lose Game 2.
After the game, the league confirmed that the referees missed a call late in the fourth quarter. According to the Last Two-Minute (L2M) Report, Jokic was inside the paint for more than three seconds on a defensive possession. The violation occurred with a minute and 42 seconds left in the final period.
“Jokic (DEN) is in the paint for longer than three seconds without imminently actively guarding an opponent,” the league reported.
Even with that, however, the Denver Nuggets couldn’t get a win. For Game 3, the Nuggets will travel to L.A. and play in the Intuit Dome. That will be the first time the newly built arena will have a playoff atmosphere.
Denver’s three-time MVP and his team are hoping to capture a win on the road and have a 2-1 advantage after Game 3.
Missed free throws are the reason for the Denver Nuggets’ loss, according to the coach
During the game, Jokic couldn’t make the most of his chances from the charity stripe. The All-Star center had 10 attempts from the free-throw line but only made 60 percent. During the regular season, the seven-time All-Star shot 80 percent from the line. However, he couldn’t get one to fall in Game 2.
Interim head coach David Adelman told reporters after the game that their missed shots from the free throw were one of the biggest reasons for their defeat.
“You can’t miss eight free throws in a game like this,” Adelman said. “And the points off turnovers. In Game 1, we won that battle.”
David Adelman on the Game 2 loss:
“You can’t miss 8 free throws in a game like this. And the points off turnovers. In Game 1 we won that battle.”
Full presser ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/KZx5KRGSYN
— DNVR Nuggets (@DNVR_Nuggets) April 22, 2025
Jokic wasn’t the only player for the Nuggets who couldn’t make the most of their chances at the line. Michael Porter Jr., Russell Westbrook, Christian Braun and Peyton Watson all shot 50 percent from the line. As a team, they shot 63.6 percent from the free-throw line.
In Game 1, however, the Denver Nuggets shot 77.8 percent. They hope to do better in Game 3 in front of the Clippers’ crowd.
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Reign also writes NBA and WNBA news updates on Sportskeeda. He started as a feature writer for AirAlamo, an NBA website that covers the San Antonio Spurs. Some of his work can also be seen on Valley of the Suns, a Phoenix Suns-centric website, where he served as a contributing writer.
