Denver Nuggets use Clippers as motivation, rally from 19-point deficit to top Spurs

April 17 (UPI) -- The Denver Nuggets, the second seed in the Western Conference, rallied from a 19-point deficit to top the San Antonio Spurs in Game 2 at the Pepsi Center.

Nuggets head coach Mike Malone, with his team trailing 73-57, called a timeout with 5:45 left in the third quarter. Malone used the Los Angeles Clippers' historic 31-point comeback against the Golden State Warriors as inspiration for his team.

"I could see on some guys' faces which way is this game going to go?" Malone told reporters. "I reminded them what the Clippers did [Monday] night and how much basketball is left. It's only going to happen though if we believe, we commit, we fight and we attack, and the guys took it to heart -- and we closed the game out on a 57-32 run from that point on."

Denver's 19-point rally was the largest postseason comeback by the Nuggets in franchise history. It was tied for the third-largest blown lead by the Spurs under head coach Gregg Popovich in the playoffs.

"We gave up [39] points in the fourth quarter, end of story," Popovich said. "Paul [Millsap] and Jamal had a lot to do with that, obviously. They both hurt us badly, and we didn't have any answers for either one of them."

Nuggets guard Jamal Murray exploded with 21 points in the fourth quarter. He had 24 points, four assists and two rebounds. Denver's Paul Millsap had 20 points and seven rebounds, and Nikola Jokic had a near triple-double with 21 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists.

The series is tied 1-1 after the Nuggets' 114-105 win Tuesday night. The series shifts to San Antonio for Game 3 Thursday night.