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By Matt Levine
Contributing Sports Writer
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With the NBA playoffs starting, one of the more intriguing series comes from the Western Conference. The Los Angeles Clippers and Denver Nuggets opened their series today in what has been expected to be a great matchup between two strong teams.
More NBA news: Pacers vs Bucks Game 1, Indiana Dominates Milwaukee to Open Playoffs
Clippers guard James Harden got everything started for Los Angeles, scoring 15 points in the first quarter alone. Los Angeles grabbed a 35-27 lead over the Nuggets after the first frame.
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Los Angeles essentially got to the rim almost at will, with the Nuggets defense scambling for answers. It was the perfect start for the Clippers in a hostile environment on the road.
The Clippers didn't stop there and made it look easy against Denver in the first half. But Denver stormed back, showing some of their championship poise.
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The Nuggets went on an 11-0 run to cut the Clippers' lead down. Los Angeles took a 53-49 lead into halftime, with the Nuggets feeling good about themselves entering the break.
But even with this, Denver looked outmatched from the opening tip, as the Clippers seemed to want the game more. Los Angeles out-hustled the Nuggets on multiple occasions, showing their desire.
Of course, fans took to social media to express their feelings on the game.
One fan said, "The Nuggets couldn't have faced a tougher opponent in the first round than the Clippers. Just very bad luck."
If the Nuggets want any chance to win this game, it all starts on the defensive end of the floor. Denver has had a very strange season, but they still have a lot of talent on the roster.
Los Angeles won't make it easy at all, but the Nuggets do have the home crowd behind them. Ball Arena is one of the better home-court advantages across the NBA, making this Clippers domination even more impressive.
Many picked the Clippers to upset the Nuggets in this series, and rightfully so. Los Angeles entered this matchup having gone 17-3 over their previous 20 games overall to earn the No. 5 seed.
A lot of people around NBA circles believe that the Clippers could be a sleeper pick to reach the NBA Finals. If this performance does anything, it may have justified those thoughts, despite it being just one game.
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For more NBA news and rumors, head on over to Newsweek Sports.
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