Nikola Jokic obtained loads of assist from his teammates and the Denver Nuggets weren’t about to let up once they constructed a giant lead and raced previous the Los Angeles Clippers in a 120-101 Recreation 7 laugher Saturday evening.
The No. 4 seed Nuggets, who led by as many as 35 factors, superior to tackle the No. 1 seeded Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder, which swept Memphis within the first spherical and has had every week off. The groups break up their season collection 2-2, with each groups profitable one on the highway.
The Clippers’ season got here to a screeching halt after they’d entered the playoffs as the most well liked group within the league, having gained 18 of 21.
Jokic had 16 factors, 10 rebounds and eight assists. Aaron Gordon led Denver with 22 factors, Christian Braun had 21, Jamal Murray and Russell Westbrook chipped in 16 every and Michael Porter Jr. scored 15.
Kawhi Leonard led Los Angeles with 22 factors, however James Harden solely scored 7 factors on 2-of-8 taking pictures and Ivica Zubac had his quietest recreation of the collection with 10 factors.
Hanging over the Nuggets all season was their Recreation 7 fiasco in Spherical 2 final yr once they blew a 20-point second-half result in the Minnesota Timberwolves simply when it regarded like they have been primed to defend the franchise’s first NBA championship.
And after frittering away a 22-point fourth-quarter benefit in Recreation 4 of this collection — solely to be saved by the primary buzzer-beating dunk in NBA playoff historical past, courtesy of Gordon — the Nuggets and Ball Area crowd solely grew extra energized as an alternative of anxious because the lead saved rising and the Clippers saved lacking.
The Nuggets blew this one open with a 17-0 run within the third quarter after Leonard began the second half with a 3-pointer to chop L.A.’s deficit to 58-50.
Los Angeles led 26-21 after one quarter however the Clippers have been outscored 72-40 through the second and third quarters to path 93-66 heading into the fourth quarter.
After choosing up his third, fourth and fifth fouls over a 48-second span late within the third, Jokic went to the bench and watched his group proceed to roll. He sat the whole fourth quarter.
The Nuggets started celebrating early within the fourth quarter when Westbrook willingly took a technical for hanging on the rim and swinging backwards and forwards after his steal and dunk put Denver up 107-76.
And Denver interim coach David Adelman emptied his bench with a 111-81 lead with 5:23 left. However the Clippers went on a 7-0 run and Adelman despatched his starters again in on the 4-minute mark.
The Clippers ended up reducing a 35-point deficit into the kids however Denver’s lead, for a change, was too massive to beat. Their 19-point win was their greatest in a Recreation 7 within the franchise’s playoff historical past.
Courtesy of group proprietor Steve Ballmer, greater than 100 Clippers followers have been flown to Denver and assembled behind one of many baskets to offer further noise. It’s an extension of “The Wall,” a bit for the group of superfans that packs the Intuit Dome — additionally behind a basket — for Clippers video games in Los Angeles.
The Nuggets had misplaced 4 of their earlier 5 closeout video games since profitable the franchise’s solely NBA championship two years in the past. The Clippers additionally have been the victims the final time Denver gained a Recreation 7. That got here within the convention semifinals within the Florida bubble when the Nuggets overcame a 3-1 collection deficit.
Reporting by The Related Press.
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