Momentum is a fragile thing in the NBA Playoffs. One minute, a team looks like it’s crumbling under the pressure, dragging its way toward the offseason. Then a spark—just one moment, one shift in energy—and the whole series feels alive again. That’s what the Denver Nuggets brought back in Game 4, stealing back their confidence and possibly their season with a gritty win over the Clippers.
But that win only matters if they double down. Tuesday night’s Game 5 back in Denver is going to define this series, because if the Nuggets don’t bring the same fight they showed Saturday night, they could find themselves eliminated by Los Angeles after Thursday’s.
Game 4 wasn’t pretty, and it definitely wasn’t easy. Russell Westbrook, who’s become a vital piece for the Nuggets since joining this season, missed the game after injuring his left-foot during Game 3. Michael Porter Jr. played through a painful shoulder sprain. And yet, the Nuggets found a way. They didn’t out-talent the Clippers—they outworked them. That’s been the missing ingredient, especially in the two losses in this series.
Nikola Jokić was his usual brilliant self. He picked apart L.A.’s defensive coverages and didn’t let the physicality wear him down. When the Clippers tried to trap or double, he calmly found cutters or shooters in rhythm. But the difference in Game 4 wasn’t just about Jokić putting up numbers—it was about everyone else locking in.
Porter Jr., shoulder injury and all, finally found a rhythm in the second half. He wasn’t as explosive off the catch, and you could tell he was favoring that right side, but he kept moving. He kept shooting. And he kept fighting defensively, which is usually the first thing to go when his body isn’t right. Just him staying on the court and being a threat changed the way the Clippers had to defend.
That’s the kind of effort Denver’s going to need again on Tuesday, and it can’t be a one-game blip. If they give any of that ground back, the Clippers will pounce. This series has been about who controls the tempo and who punches first. The team that’s set the tone early has won every game so far. That’s why Tuesday matters so much. It’s the pivot point. Win and the Nuggets go to L.A. up 3–2 with a chance to close. Lose and suddenly the pressure is back on their shoulders.
That pressure might feel even heavier if Westbrook still isn’t ready to return. Denver managed without him Sunday, but he’s been their energy source off the bench. His rebounding, his downhill drives, his trash talk—he gives the Nuggets life in ways the box score doesn’t always show. They can win without him in spurts, but over a long, physical series? They need him on the floor.
And they especially need him if Porter Jr. is still limited. A sprained shoulder may not sound like much, but for a shooter like Porter, it’s a big deal. Even in Game 4, his shot looked flat at times, and he struggled to create space off the dribble. But give him credit—he fought through it. He knew Denver couldn’t afford to have him disappear again. That’s the mental switch this team needed.
Jamal Murray also looked like he’d finally shaken off whatever was slowing him down earlier in the series. He wasn’t just pulling up from three—he was driving into the lane, forcing defenders to collapse, and making the Clippers work for every stop. That’s when Denver is at its best: when Murray is creating chaos and Jokić is orchestrating from the middle.
Still, let’s not pretend Game 4 was domination. It was a grind. The Clippers went into the fourth quarter with a huge 20 point lead, and Kawhi Leonard and Norman Powell both had stretches where they looked completely in control. The difference this time? Denver didn’t fold.
That was the concern after Game 3. The body language. The lack of intensity. The defensive lapses. But in Game 4, the Nuggets showed they still have some fight in them. And they’re going to need even more of it on Tuesday night.
The Clippers aren’t going to lie down. They know Game 5 is their chance to swing the momentum back their way so they can close it out on their home floor. Leonard has been efficient all series, and Powell is due for a big game. If Denver doesn’t bring that same defensive edge—if they let the Clippers get comfortable—it’s going to be a long night.
That’s where Aaron Gordon and Jamal Murray come in. They’re the guys who have to set the physical tone early. Gordon especially has to make his presence felt. He was a bit of a ghost in Games 2 and 3, but in Game 4, he played with urgency—attacking the glass, cutting hard, making the Clippers feel him. That’s got to continue.
Same with the bench. Christian Braun gave some key minutes in Game 4, and while the stat line wasn’t loud, his activity mattered. The Nuggets don’t have the deepest rotation, and with Westbrook sidelined, every reserve minute becomes critical. They need hustle plays. They need someone to get under the Clippers’ skin. Every playoff series eventually becomes a battle of attrition, and Denver needs to win those middle stretches when the stars rest.
Tuesday night is the moment of truth. Win and you control the series. Lose and you’re on the brink of going home after Game 6 Thursday night. The margin for error is basically gone, especially if Westbrook isn’t back because Porter Jr. is likely still hobbled.
But if Game 4 showed anything, it’s that the Nuggets aren’t done yet. They still remember who they are. The have been tested, but they’ve also been awakened. And that’s a dangerous combination.
Now it comes down to whether that effort travels back home. The ball movement, the urgency, the defensive communication—it has to be there from the jump. Because if the Clippers sense hesitation, they’ll take over. Kawhi and Harden are too smart, too experienced to let another opportunity slip.
Denver has to match that urgency—and exceed it. This is the kind of series that could turn in a heartbeat. One cold shooting stretch. One injury flare-up. One sluggish quarter. That’s all it takes. But it can also go the other way. One more win, and the Nuggets are the ones in control, heading to Los Angeles with a chance to close it out.
If Westbrook can come back Tuesday, even in a limited role, that’s a huge emotional lift. But even if he’s still out, the formula from Game 4 holds up: Jokić steady, Murray aggressive, Porter Jr. gutting it out, and everyone else locked in.
Here’s the thing, folks: There’s no more room for waiting. The Clippers are coming. They know what’s at stake. And if Denver doesn’t meet that moment, all the fight they showed in Game 4 won’t matter. Because Game 6 is looming, and if this series goes back to L.A. tied.
With that…. Tuesday becomes the proving ground. Are the Nuggets a championship team when their depth is tested, when injuries pile up, and when every possession carries weight? Game 4 said yes. Now Game 5 has to say it louder.
If you cannot play with them, then root for them!