The Clippers defeated the Denver Nuggets 115-114 on February 19, 2026, at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. Los Angeles entered at 26-28, while Denver carried a 35-20 record.
The Clippers were fighting for a Western Conference play-in position. Denver was trying to stabilize after four losses across six games.
Both teams entered the contest with important absences. Denver lacked Aaron Gordon and Peyton Watson because of hamstring injuries. Los Angeles remained without Darius Garland and Bradley Beal.
Bennedict Mathurin decided the game during his Clippers home debut. He scored 38 points and made two critical free throws with nine seconds remaining.
Jamal Murray then received three free throws with 0.9 seconds left. He made two attempts before missing the potential tying shot.
Match Overview
The result moved Los Angeles into ninth place in the Western Conference. Denver dropped into fourth place after losing five of seven games.
| Detail | Information |
| Date | February 19, 2026 |
| Venue | Intuit Dome, Inglewood, California |
| Competition | 2025-26 NBA regular season |
| Final score | Clippers 115, Nuggets 114 |
| Denver record after game | 35-21 |
| Clippers record after game | 27-28 |
| Attendance | 17,927 |
Pre-Match Context
Denver reached the All-Star break at 35-20 but had lost four of its previous six games. The Nuggets remained among the leading Western Conference teams.
Their immediate concern involved the forward rotation. Gordon missed his tenth consecutive game, while Watson missed his fourth straight contest.
Los Angeles had recovered from a 6-21 start. The Clippers entered this matchup with 20 wins across their previous 27 games.
Their roster had also changed before the trade deadline. James Harden moved to Cleveland for Garland, who had not yet debuted.
The Clippers also traded Ivica Zubac to Indiana. Mathurin and Isaiah Jackson arrived in that deal.
Mathurin had played only two Clippers games before facing Denver. His first home appearance became the main scoring story.
Quarter-by-Quarter Score
Denver won the second quarter, but Los Angeles answered immediately after halftime. Both teams then scored 37 fourth-quarter points.
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
| Denver Nuggets | 24 | 28 | 25 | 37 | 114 |
| LA Clippers | 25 | 20 | 33 | 37 | 115 |
Quarter-by-Quarter Breakdown
First Quarter
Denver scored the opening five points and built an early 13-4 advantage. Cameron Johnson and Julian Strawther supplied the early baskets.
Los Angeles recovered before the quarter ended. The Clippers reduced Denver’s lead through interior scoring and Mathurin’s bench production.
The Clippers completed the comeback and carried a 25-24 lead into the second quarter.
Second Quarter
Denver controlled the second period by a 28-20 margin. Bruce Brown drove the second unit and reached 16 first-half points.
The Nuggets also gained production from Strawther, Murray and Jokić. Their offense created a 52-45 halftime advantage.
Los Angeles struggled from outside during the half. However, Mathurin continued attacking the basket and drawing free throws.
Third Quarter
The Clippers erased their seven-point halftime deficit during the third quarter. They outscored Denver 33-25 and reclaimed the lead.
Los Angeles produced more paint scoring and committed fewer turnovers. Mathurin, Leonard and Derrick Jones Jr. carried the scoring.
Denver remained within one point entering the fourth quarter. The Clippers led 78-77 after three periods.
Fourth Quarter
The game remained level throughout a 37-37 fourth quarter. A confrontation created another turning point with 10:27 remaining.
Mathurin, Kris Dunn and Jonas Valančiūnas received technical fouls. Cameron Johnson made Denver’s technical free throw, tying the score at 83.
Jokić scored inside with 46 seconds remaining, producing a 107-107 tie. Both teams then exchanged late free throws.
Mathurin made two attempts with nine seconds left. Those shots gave Los Angeles a 115-112 advantage.
Murray drew a three-shot foul with 0.9 seconds remaining. He made his first two attempts but missed the third.
Time expired during the rebound. Los Angeles secured the one-point victory.
Team Stats Comparison
The Clippers won despite making five fewer three-pointers. Their advantages came through paint scoring, free throws, bench points, and ball security.
| Metric | Denver Nuggets | LA Clippers | Advantage |
| Points | 114 | 115 | Clippers |
| Field goals | 39-86 | 41-87 | Clippers |
| Field-goal percentage | 45.3% | 47.1% | Clippers |
| Three-pointers | 13-40 | 8-33 | Nuggets |
| Three-point percentage | 32.5% | 24.2% | Nuggets |
| Free throws | 23-31 | 25-30 | Clippers |
| Free-throw percentage | 74.2% | 83.3% | Clippers |
| Total rebounds | 45 | 45 | Even |
| Assists | 29 | 27 | Nuggets |
| Turnovers | 17 | 12 | Clippers |
| Points in paint | 50 | 58 | Clippers |
| Fast-break points | 22 | 16 | Nuggets |
| Bench points | 29 | 49 | Clippers |
Key Numbers That Decided the Game
The overall numbers show how Los Angeles offset Denver’s better three-point total.
- 49 bench points: Clippers reserves outscored Denver’s bench by 20 points.
- Five fewer turnovers: Los Angeles committed 12 turnovers, compared with Denver’s 17.
- Eight-point paint advantage: The Clippers scored 58 paint points against Denver’s 50.
- Better free-throw shooting: Los Angeles converted 83.3 percent, while Denver made 74.2 percent.
- Mathurin’s 38 points: He supplied one-third of the Clippers’ total scoring.
Full Box Score: Denver Nuggets
Denver placed five players in double figures. However, Jokić and Murray combined for ten of the team’s 17 turnovers.
Strawther made six three-pointers, while Brown scored efficiently from the bench. Denver’s starters still finished with a combined negative plus-minus.
Denver Scoring and Shooting
| Player | Minutes | Points | FG | 3PT |
| Cameron Johnson | 35:18 | 18 | 6-12 | 2-7 |
| Julian Strawther | 25:00 | 18 | 6-11 | 6-10 |
| Nikola Jokić | 36:07 | 22 | 9-22 | 0-6 |
| Christian Braun | 34:26 | 7 | 3-6 | 0-1 |
| Jamal Murray | 34:59 | 20 | 5-15 | 2-5 |
| Tim Hardaway Jr. | 20:21 | 2 | 1-5 | 0-4 |
| Bruce Brown | 25:28 | 19 | 6-9 | 3-5 |
| Spencer Jones | 16:27 | 2 | 1-3 | 0-2 |
| Jonas Valančiūnas | 11:54 | 6 | 2-3 | 0-0 |
Denver Rebounding and Playmaking
| Player | FT | Rebounds | Assists | Plus/Minus |
| Cameron Johnson | 4-4 | 4 | 3 | +2 |
| Julian Strawther | 0-0 | 1 | 2 | +6 |
| Nikola Jokić | 4-7 | 17 | 6 | -6 |
| Christian Braun | 1-1 | 2 | 3 | -5 |
| Jamal Murray | 8-10 | 8 | 8 | -1 |
| Tim Hardaway Jr. | 0-0 | 2 | 0 | -6 |
| Bruce Brown | 4-7 | 5 | 6 | +1 |
| Spencer Jones | 0-0 | 2 | 1 | -1 |
| Jonas Valančiūnas | 2-2 | 4 | 0 | +5 |
Denver Defensive and Ball-Control Stats
| Player | Steals | Blocks | Turnovers | Fouls |
| Cameron Johnson | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Julian Strawther | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Nikola Jokić | 0 | 0 | 6 | 5 |
| Christian Braun | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Jamal Murray | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| Tim Hardaway Jr. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Bruce Brown | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| Spencer Jones | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Jonas Valančiūnas | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
Full Box Score: LA Clippers
The Clippers received 49 points from their reserves. Mathurin scored 38 of those points during 33 minutes.
Leonard and Jones added 45 combined points. Collins controlled the glass and recorded three blocks.
Clippers Scoring and Shooting
| Player | Minutes | Points | FG | 3PT |
| Kawhi Leonard | 32:52 | 23 | 8-18 | 1-7 |
| John Collins | 31:39 | 11 | 5-10 | 1-4 |
| Derrick Jones Jr. | 33:33 | 22 | 7-15 | 2-7 |
| Brook Lopez | 30:48 | 8 | 4-10 | 0-4 |
| Kris Dunn | 29:24 | 2 | 1-4 | 0-0 |
| Nicolas Batum | 17:37 | 6 | 2-3 | 2-3 |
| Isaiah Jackson | 3:50 | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 |
| Yanic Konan Niederhäuser | 13:14 | 4 | 2-3 | 0-0 |
| Jordan Miller | 13:13 | 1 | 0-2 | 0-2 |
| Bennedict Mathurin | 33:49 | 38 | 12-22 | 2-6 |
Clippers Rebounding and Playmaking
| Player | FT | Rebounds | Assists | Plus/Minus |
| Kawhi Leonard | 6-8 | 4 | 3 | -9 |
| John Collins | 0-0 | 12 | 4 | -1 |
| Derrick Jones Jr. | 6-7 | 3 | 1 | -2 |
| Brook Lopez | 0-0 | 6 | 2 | -3 |
| Kris Dunn | 0-0 | 8 | 8 | +2 |
| Nicolas Batum | 0-0 | 2 | 0 | +2 |
| Isaiah Jackson | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | -1 |
| Yanic Konan Niederhäuser | 0-0 | 4 | 1 | +7 |
| Jordan Miller | 1-2 | 1 | 4 | +6 |
| Bennedict Mathurin | 12-13 | 5 | 4 | +4 |
Clippers Defensive and Ball-Control Stats
| Player | Steals | Blocks | Turnovers | Fouls |
| Kawhi Leonard | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| John Collins | 1 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| Derrick Jones Jr. | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Brook Lopez | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Kris Dunn | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Nicolas Batum | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Isaiah Jackson | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Yanic Konan Niederhäuser | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Jordan Miller | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Bennedict Mathurin | 3 | 0 | 3 | 4 |
Game Leaders and Top Performers
Bennedict Mathurin
Mathurin scored 38 points on 12-of-22 shooting. He also converted 12 of his 13 free-throw attempts.
His final two attempts created Los Angeles’ three-point lead. He added five rebounds, four assists and three steals.
Nikola Jokić
Jokić finished with 22 points, 17 rebounds and six assists. He scored Denver’s tying basket with 46 seconds remaining.
He missed all six three-point attempts and committed six turnovers. His four-game triple-double streak also ended.
Kawhi Leonard
Leonard recorded 23 points, four rebounds and three assists. He reached 20 points for the 34th consecutive game.
He shot 8-of-18 overall but made only one of seven three-pointers.
Derrick Jones Jr.
Jones contributed 22 points on 7-of-15 shooting. He also made six of seven free throws.
His foul on Murray’s final three-point attempt gave Denver one final opportunity.
Bruce Brown
Brown produced 19 points, five rebounds and six assists from Denver’s bench. He made six of nine field-goal attempts.
Sixteen of Brown’s points came during the first half.
| Player | Team | Points | Rebounds | Assists |
| Bennedict Mathurin | Clippers | 38 | 5 | 4 |
| Kawhi Leonard | Clippers | 23 | 4 | 3 |
| Derrick Jones Jr. | Clippers | 22 | 3 | 1 |
| Nikola Jokić | Nuggets | 22 | 17 | 6 |
| Jamal Murray | Nuggets | 20 | 8 | 8 |
| Bruce Brown | Nuggets | 19 | 5 | 6 |
Starting Lineups
Denver replaced the injured Gordon and Watson with Johnson and Strawther. Los Angeles used a larger lineup featuring Collins and Lopez together.
| Position | Denver Nuggets | LA Clippers |
| Center | Nikola Jokić | Brook Lopez |
| Forward | Cameron Johnson | John Collins |
| Forward | Julian Strawther | Kawhi Leonard |
| Guard | Christian Braun | Derrick Jones Jr. |
| Guard | Jamal Murray | Kris Dunn |
Injury Report
Denver’s missing forwards reduced its defensive options against Leonard and Mathurin. Los Angeles lacked Garland, its newly acquired point guard.
Beal was already unavailable for the season following surgery on a left hip fracture. Washington was also inactive for the game.
| Player | Injury or reason | Status |
| Aaron Gordon | Right hamstring strain | Out |
| Peyton Watson | Right hamstring strain | Out |
| Tamar Bates | Left foot surgery | Out |
| Curtis Jones | G League two-way assignment | Out |
| KJ Simpson | Inactive reason unavailable | Inactive |
| Darius Garland | Toe injury | Out |
| Bradley Beal | Left hip fracture | Out |
| TyTy Washington Jr. | Right hamstring soreness | Inactive |
Season Series and Head-to-Head
Denver won two of the three regular-season meetings. The Clippers avoided a sweep through their one-point home victory.
| Date | Venue | Winner | Score |
| November 12, 2025 | Intuit Dome | Denver Nuggets | 130-116 |
| January 30, 2026 | Ball Arena | Denver Nuggets | 122-109 |
| February 19, 2026 | Intuit Dome | LA Clippers | 115-114 |
Denver won the 2025 playoff series between these teams in seven games. The Nuggets secured that series with a Game 7 victory.
Western Conference Standings
The result left Denver fourth in the Western Conference. Los Angeles moved into ninth place and strengthened its play-in position.
| Team | Record after game | West position | Situation |
| Denver Nuggets | 35-21 | Fourth | Direct playoff position |
| LA Clippers | 27-28 | Ninth | Play-in position |
Broadcast and Streaming Information
The game began at 7:30 p.m. Pacific Time. Regional television and League Pass carried the matchup.
| Item | Details |
| Local start time | 7:30 p.m. PT |
| Denver television | Altitude Sports |
| Clippers television | FanDuel Sports Network SoCal |
| Streaming | NBA League Pass |
| Venue | Intuit Dome |
| Attendance | 17,927 |
Conclusion
The victory moved the Clippers into a Western Conference play-in position. Mathurin’s scoring immediately strengthened their rebuilt second unit.
Los Angeles won through paint production, free throws and fewer turnovers. Those areas outweighed Denver’s advantage from three-point range.
Denver remained fourth but continued its uneven February stretch. The missing forward depth affected its defensive rotation throughout the game.
The Nuggets next travelled to Portland. The Clippers faced the Lakers on the following night.
For more match updates, read: Minnesota Vikings vs Cleveland Browns Match Player Stats
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Clippers versus Denver Nuggets game?
The LA Clippers defeated the Denver Nuggets 115-114 at Intuit Dome on February 19, 2026.
Who scored the most points?
Bennedict Mathurin led all players with 38 points during his first home appearance for the Clippers.
What were Nikola Jokić’s stats?
Jokić recorded 22 points, 17 rebounds and six assists, while shooting 9-of-22 from the field.
How did the game end?
Jamal Murray received three free throws with 0.9 seconds remaining. He made two but missed the potential tying attempt.
What was the score after three quarters?
The Clippers led 78-77 after outscoring the Nuggets 33-25 during the third quarter.
Which team won the season series?
Denver won the 2025-26 regular-season series 2-1, including victories in November and January.
Where was the game played?
The game took place at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, with an announced attendance of 17,927.
