Clippers Hang On To Beat Nuggets For 6th Straight Win

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Blake Griffin had 20 points and 12 rebounds, and the Los Angeles Clippers held off the Denver Nuggets 109-104 on Wednesday night for their season-high sixth straight win.

Montrezl Harrell added 18 points and Lou Williams had 17 for the Clippers. Los Angeles is 12-3 in its last 15 games, tied with Golden State for the NBA's best record over that span.

The Clippers were just 7 of 14 from the free-throw line over the final 3:09, but they hung on after last-second turnovers by Will Barton and Wilson Chandler.

Gary Harris scored 19 points in the Nuggets' fifth straight road loss. Nikola Jokic added 18 points, Barton had 17 points and Mason Plumlee had 16 points and 14 rebounds.

The Nuggets led by five early in the fourth. The Clippers scored eight straight points, including five by Wesley Johnson, to go up 90-87.

Neither team led by more than seven points the rest of the game.

Clinging to a 99-98 lead, Harrell missed a pair of free throws, shaking his head as he backed away from the line. He got fouled twice more in succession and made 3 of 4, extending the lead to 102-98.

Harrell came up with a block on Plumlee at the other end, and Johnson hit a 3-pointer, making it 105-98.

Denver got to 106-104 on four straight points by Harris and two free throws from Barton.

The Nuggets ran off 11 straight points for a 79-69 lead in the third only to blow all of it. The Clippers answered with their own 11-0 spurt, including consecutive 3-pointers by Tyrone Wallace and Harrell, to lead 80-79. Emmanuel Mudiay's basket sent Denver into the fourth leading 81-80.

TIP-INS

Nuggets: They are 8-14 against the Clippers at Staples Center over the last 11 seasons. ... Denver fell to 7-17 on the road overall and 3-13 against the West away from home.

Clippers: C DeAndre Jordan (sprained left ankle) missed his third straight game and the swelling hasn't gone down. Jordan had initially been expected back Saturday in Utah, but coach Doc Rivers says he's not ready and won't be rushed. ... G Austin Rivers (right ankle) has missed eight straight games. He is wearing a boot and will be re-evaluated in the next week.

UP NEXT

Nuggets: Host Phoenix on Friday, having beaten the Suns by 23 on Jan. 3.

Clippers: At Utah on Saturday. The teams split their first two meetings, both in Los Angeles.