The Denver Nuggets delivered a commanding 120-101 rout of the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 7 of their first-round playoff series on Saturday night, securing their spot in the second round. In a dominant team effort, Denver erased the ghosts of last year’s Game 7 collapse against Minnesota, leaving the Clippers stunned at Ball Arena.
Nikola Jokić, typically the star, contributed 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists but was outshined by his teammates. Aaron Gordon led with 22 points, Christian Braun added 21 while locking down James Harden (7 points, 2/8 FG) with stellar defense, and Jamal Murray and Russell Westbrook each scored 16. Michael Porter Jr. chipped in 15. “Everybody who plays needs to contribute something,” Jokić said. “It was special today how the guys did that.”
The Nuggets overwhelmed the Clippers in the second and third quarters, outscoring them 72-40, with a 17-0 third-quarter run blowing the game wide open. Despite trailing 26-21 after the first, Denver capitalized on superior rebounding and fast breaks to take control. “The rebounding and defense was amazing,” Jokić noted.
For the Clippers, Kawhi Leonard led with 22 points, but Ivica Zubac managed just 10 in his quietest game of the series. “I don’t think this team was 30 points better than us,” Leonard said. “But they ran hard, got easy points, and made shots.”
After a turbulent season marked by the firings of coach Michael Malone and GM Calvin Booth, interim coach David Adelman guided Denver to a statement win. Now, the No. 4 seed Nuggets face the No. 1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder, who went 68-14, in a second-round series starting Monday. With a 2-2 regular-season split, the matchup promises intensity.
