Nuggets eliminate Clippers from playoff contention, draw even with Timberwolves

LOS ANGELES – After four games with their defense leading the way, the Denver Nuggets turned to their offense Saturday and regained control of their playoff destiny.

The Nuggets made 10 of their first 12 shots and they ran off to a 134-115 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday.

They will reach the postseason if they win their last two games.

"At this time of the year, it's all about finding a way to get wins," Nuggets coach Mike Malone said.

"We're playing 'get it done' basketball. We're getting it done. Going into tonight, we'd been playing good defense. We controlled the game, won all four quarters, another big step in the right direction."

Will Barton scored 31 points and Nikola Jokic added 23 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists as the Nuggets posted their fifth straight win to pull into a tie with the Timberwolves for eighth place in the Western Conference with two games to play. Both teams are 45-35.

The Nuggets finish the regular season at home against Portland on Monday night.

It all sets up for the Nuggets' season-ending game against the Timberwolves on Wednesday night in Target Center. Minnesota, which holds the tiebreaker over the Nuggets, hosts Memphis on Monday night.

"Our guys have really taken that to heart," Malone said. "There's a belief in that locker room, a lot of positivity. I think we're all in, 100 percent, believing in each other."

Meanwhile, the injury-riddled Clippers were eliminated from the playoff race. The Clippers suffered their fourth loss in five games, falling to 42-38, two games out of eighth place with two to play. The elimination ends a run of six consecutive postseason appearances for the Clippers, who previously missed the playoffs in 2010-11.

"I don't think I have been more proud of a group, maybe ever, than I have been of this group," said Clippers coach Doc Rivers, who has been forced by injuries to field 35 starting lineups. "We have asked a lot of guys to do a lot of stuff they should not have had to do and yet they did it."