NBA: Nuggets, Clippers hit with 6 techs after Game 4 skirmish

Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun, left, and Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden, right, face off before a scuffle broke out during the first half in Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Saturday, April 26, 2025, in Inglewood, California. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

INGLEWOOD, California— James Harden and Denver’s Christian Braun tangled in the final seconds before halftime, triggering a skirmish that resulted in six technical fouls between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Nuggets in NBA Game 4 on Saturday.

The Nuggets won 101-99 on Aaron Gordon’s historic dunk as time expired to tie the series 2-2.

Harden was dribbling while closely defended by Braun with 6.6 seconds remaining. Harden got fouled and exchanged words with Braun at midcourt. Denver’s Nikola Jokic approached them and jawed at Harden, who took a poke at Gordon with a referee in the middle.

“Kind of getting a little bit chippy with CB,” Gordon said. “I can’t let nobody step up on the young fellas.”

Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon, second from left, yells to members of the Los Angeles Clippers after he was involved in a scuffle during the first half in Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Saturday, April 26, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Ivica Zubac of the Clippers tried to stop Gordon, who raced around him toward Harden as several players tangled while the referees tried to break it up.

After a lengthy review, the referees assessed technicals to Harden, Norman Powell and Kris Dunn of the Clippers, as well as Jokic, Gordon and Braun.

The crowd chanted, “Kick him out!” in reference to Gordon, who later was booed when he touched the ball.

But the referees decided there was no closed fist punch thrown and assessed only the technicals, drawing more boos from the crowd.

“A lot of people should have been ejected,” Nuggets interim coach David Adelman said. “There was a lot of people in that scuffle. I saw a lot of people starting that and ending it. I didn’t think there was any extracurricular after the fact you could say was dangerous. Everyone seemed like they were cool and let’s go play.”