In a powerful display at the Intuit Dome, the Los Angeles Clippers outperformed the Denver Nuggets with a score of 117-83 in their first playoff match on Thursday evening.

Kawhi Leonard led the scoreboard with 21 points and 11 rebounds, contributing significantly to the Clippers’ triumph while James Harden and Norman Powell both added 20 points. The arena buzzed with excitement, particularly in the section dubbed ‘The Wall,’ where fans sported horse hats in jest about Nikola Jokic’s known affinity for the animal.

Following a tightly contested previous two matches in Denver—where the results were decided by a mere five points in total—this game showcased a decisive Clippers blowout. In the final moments, both teams took the opportunity to rotate in their benches.

Game 4 is set for Saturday at the high-tech Inglewood venue, where Steve Ballmer, the billionaire owner of the Clippers, was seen energetically supporting his team from the sidelines.

The Nuggets were unable to maintain their early lead, with Jokic scoring 23 points, registering 13 rebounds and 13 assists, marking his second triple-double of the series alongside Jamal Murray, who also netted 23 points.

In terms of total performance, the Clippers dominated by hitting 18 three-pointers compared to the Nuggets’ seven and controlled the rebounds with a tally of 48-38. The Clippers’ bench outperformed their opponents, scoring 31 points to the Nuggets’ 6.

Midway through the game, Russell Westbrook experienced foot inflammation and was unable to perform at his best, while Michael Porter Jr. was restricted to just seven points and six rebounds after spraining his shoulder in Game 2.

There were echoes of the Clippers’ former Lob City phase during the match, with former Clipper Chris Paul spotted in the audience, while DeAndre Jordan took to the court for five minutes with the Nuggets.