Clippers spoil Paul Millsap's return, stun Nuggets 122-120

DENVER — It was shaping up to be a memorable night at Pepsi Center.

Paul Millsap returned to the lineup after missing 44 games and immediately made his presence felt. After Millsap worked his way through the first quarter, he sprinted across the lane to draw a charge and then recorded two highlight-worthy blocks in the second.

Millsap’s performance Tuesday night was as good as you could have hoped for. He finished with nine points and seven rebounds in 23 minutes. Denver was a plus-12 with Millsap on the floor in the first half but a minus-eight over his second-half minutes.

It wasn’t meant to be.

After the Nuggets controlled the better part of three quarters, Los Angeles came all the way back from a 19-point third quarter deficit to take a one-point lead 89-88 with 10 minutes left in the fourth. The Clippers started the quarter on a 19-4 run and never looked back to win 122-120.

Los Angeles outscored Denver 41-32 in the fourth.

Denver nearly mounted an impressive comeback over the final two minutes. Gary Harris hit a three out of a Denver timeout to pull the Nuggets to within one with 14 seconds left after Lou Willaims split a pair of free-throws. Los Angeles then fouled Denver intentionally leading by three and Jamal Murray knocked down a pair of freebies. Austin Rivers split a pair for the Clippers but Murray couldn’t get off a potential game-winning look as time expired.

At the head of the Clipper rally was Boban Marjanovich, who didn’t play in the first half but logged 15 minutes over the third and fourth quarters and finished with 18 points on 5-8 shooting. With Marjanovich on the floor tonight, the Clippers were a plus-25. Marjanovic also hurt the Nuggets in the two teams’ first matchup this season when he scored 13 points in just 14 minutes.

Millsap led the way for Denver in the first half. He set the tone across 13 minutes scoring seven points and registering six rebounds, two blocks and even took a charge taken. Millsap was rusty at times, especially in the second half but played about as well as the Nuggets could have realistically hoped for.

Jokic was limited to just 10 first-half minutes due to foul trouble and didn’t attempt a field goal in the first half. He finished with 18 points, six rebounds and four assists.

Elsewhere for Denver, Harris scored a team-high 23 points. Will Barton added 19 points, seven rebounds and five assists.

The Nuggets have a few days off before setting out on a three-game road trip beginning Friday in Memphis.