Derrick Jones Jr. and a late-game foul that shaped a one-point Clippers win — who felt the swing

Here’s why this matters: derrick jones jr. not only delivered a season-high scoring night but also altered the final sequence that nearly allowed the Nuggets to tie. The play tightened the finish of a 115-114 Clippers victory and left the margin between winning and losing almost entirely in the hands of Jamal Murray’s final free throws. For players, coaches and team standings, that split-second decision carried outsized consequences.

Derrick Jones Jr. 's role in the finish and the immediate impact

derrick jones jr. scored 22 points — a season high — and was involved directly in the closing seconds when he fouled Jamal Murray with 0. 9 seconds remaining. Murray stepped to the line for three free throws, sank the first two and missed the third; the rebound ended the game as time expired and the Clippers held on for a 115-114 win. That single foul converted a standard possession into a high-stakes free-throw sequence that nearly erased a three-point margin created moments earlier.

Here's the part that matters for each side: the Clippers left with the win and a momentum snapshot — they improved to a better stretch of play since Dec. 20 — while the Nuggets saw a late chance evaporate despite strong scoring from multiple players. The narrowness of the final score shows how one foul can tilt a snapshot of team form into a headline result.

Game snapshot and key numbers from the finish

• Final: Clippers 115, Nuggets 114.
• Bennedict Mathurin: 38 points in his home debut for Los Angeles (12 of 22 from the field); he hit two free throws with nine seconds left to put the Clippers ahead 115-112.
• Kawhi Leonard: 23 points; this was another 20-point outing in a long streak.
• Derrick Jones Jr.: 22 points (season high) and the late foul that sent Murray to the line with 0. 9 seconds remaining.
• Nikola Jokic: 22 points and 17 rebounds; Jamal Murray: 20 points.
• Other Denver contributors: Bruce Brown 19; Cam Johnson and Julian Strawther 18 each.
• Teams were returning from the All-Star break; Denver was missing Aaron Gordon (hamstring) for his 10th straight absence and Peyton Watson had missed the past four games.

Tempers also flared with 10: 27 left when Yanic Konan Niederhauser, Kris Dunn and Mathurin tangled with Jonas Valanciunas under the Denver basket after a free throw. Dunn, Mathurin and Valanciunas each received technical fouls; Denver converted the single technical free throw to tie the game at 83.

It’s easy to overlook, but the late free-throw sequence that followed Jokic’s inside score — which had tied the game 107-107 with 46 seconds remaining — turned a tied game's final minute into a one-possession sprint decided at the line and on the rebound off a missed free throw.

The real question now is how each team interprets the narrow outcome: the Clippers leave with a win that underscores a strong run since Dec. 20, while the Nuggets are left to assess missed opportunities late in a one-point result.

Key takeaway for stakeholders: role players and late-game decisions mattered as much as star scoring. Players who created or prevented free-throw chances directly shaped the final score; coaching staff and rotations will likely revisit those minutes in preparation for upcoming matchups.