Nuggets vs. Clippers Game 7: Denver Dominates L.A., Advances to Face Thunder in Round 2 of 2025 NBA Playoffs
DENVER, CO. (WE) — The 2025 NBA Playoffs delivered another thrilling first-round series, and the matchup between the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Clippers did not disappoint. After a back-and-forth battle across six games, the series culminated in a decisive Game 7 on Saturday night in Ball Arena — a game in which the defending champion Nuggets overpowered the Clippers in a dominant 120-101 victory.
With the win, Denver eliminates L.A. and punches its ticket to the second round, where it will face the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder, who finished the regular season with a Western Conference-best 68 wins. That series begins Monday in Oklahoma City.
A Seven-Game Series That Lived Up to the Hype
From the moment the series tipped off, it was clear both teams were evenly matched — on paper and on the court. The Nuggets opened the series strong with a thrilling Game 1 overtime win, only for the Clippers to answer back with a gritty victory in Game 2, evening the series at 1-1 as it headed to Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
In Game 3, the Clippers exploded in front of their home crowd with a 117-83 rout, the most lopsided win of the series. But Denver responded with one of the defining moments of the playoffs so far — a nail-biting 101-99 win in Game 4, sealed by a last-second putback dunk from Aaron Gordon.
The drama continued in Game 5, where Denver’s offense hit its stride in a 131-115 blowout, only to have the Clippers keep their hopes alive in Game 6, thanks to a 111-105 win led by Kawhi Leonard and a resurgent James Harden.
All of it led to Saturday’s winner-takes-all Game 7 — a game that, unlike most in the series, quickly turned into a one-sided affair.
Game 7 Recap: Nuggets Turn Up the Heat in Denver
Final Score: Nuggets 120, Clippers 101
Playing in front of a raucous Ball Arena crowd, the Nuggets wasted no time asserting control. Though they trailed 26-21 after the first quarter — in part due to Nikola Jokić‘s uncharacteristic 0-of-6 start from the field — Denver caught fire in the second quarter, outscoring the Clippers 37-21 to take a commanding halftime lead at 58-47.
From there, the Nuggets never looked back.
They poured in 72 points over the second and third quarters combined, fueled by a 15-0 run in the third that broke the game wide open. At one point, Denver led by as many as 27 points, turning Game 7 into a victory lap in the final minutes.
“We knew we had to come out and punch first,” said Jamal Murray, who finished with 19 points and 7 assists. “This is our home, this is our moment, and we didn’t want to leave anything to chance.”
Nuggets’ Depth and Teamwork Shine
This wasn’t a one-man show — and that’s what made the Nuggets so difficult to stop. Six Denver players scored in double figures, led by:
- Jokić: 18 points, 13 assists, 9 rebounds
- Gordon: 20 points, 7 rebounds
- Murray: 19 points, 7 assists
- Michael Porter Jr.: 17 points
- Christian Braun: 16 points
- Russell Westbrook: 16 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists
In a series-defining moment, Westbrook — a former league MVP and now a key role player for Denver — delivered pivotal bench minutes, outplaying his old teammate Harden in what many called a legacy game.
“This team believes in me, and I believe in them,” said Westbrook, who signed with Denver this season after brief stints with the Lakers and Clippers. “That trust means everything.”
Meanwhile, Braun — the unheralded second-year guard out of Kansas — led Denver with 11 first-half points and energized the crowd with hustle plays on both ends.
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Clippers Collapse in Crucial Moments
The Clippers entered the series healthy and hopeful, with Leonard, Harden, and Ivica Zubac all playing some of their best basketball of the year. But when the pressure mounted, they faltered — again.
- Harden finished Game 7 with just 7 points on 8 shots, marking yet another underwhelming performance in an elimination game.
- Leonard had 21 points but faded late.
- Norman Powell chipped in 14 points off the bench.
Perhaps most concerning was L.A.’s porous defense. The Clippers, who had prided themselves on gritty, switchable defense all season, allowed Denver to shoot 54% from the field and 45% from three-point range.
“They just made the plays,” Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue said postgame. “We didn’t. That’s the difference in Game 7.”
Key Turning Points in Game 7
1. The 15-0 Third-Quarter Run
Early in the second half, the Clippers briefly cut the deficit to single digits before the Nuggets went on a jaw-dropping 15-0 run that stretched the lead to 23 points. The burst included threes from Porter Jr., a fast-break dunk by Gordon, and a putback by Braun that sent the arena into a frenzy.
2. Jokić Finds Rhythm After Slow Start
After going scoreless from the field in the first quarter, Jokić recalibrated. He began to assert himself in the paint, found shooters in rhythm, and even knocked down a late three that felt like a dagger. His impact was less about scoring and more about orchestration — the Serbian center notched 13 assists, picking apart L.A.’s scrambling defense.
3. Clippers’ Offensive Drought
L.A. went scoreless for over four minutes in the third quarter during Denver’s decisive run. Attempts to spark the offense by inserting Nicolas Batum into the lineup didn’t pay off, as the Clippers shot just 4-of-15 from deep in the first half and 9-of-31 overall.
Looking Ahead: Nuggets vs. Thunder
With the win, Denver now prepares for a heavyweight showdown with the Oklahoma City Thunder, led by MVP finalist Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The Thunder dispatched the New Orleans Pelicans in just five games and look every bit like the Western Conference’s new juggernaut.
“They’ve been the best team in the West all year,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “But we’re not scared of anybody.”
It will be a clash of styles — Oklahoma City’s youth and pace versus Denver’s experience and structure. The series begins Monday night at Paycom Center.
The Clippers’ Future: What Comes Next?
For the Clippers, the offseason begins with more questions than answers. This was supposed to be the year. They entered the playoffs healthy, with two All-NBA talents and a strong supporting cast including Powell, Zubac, and midseason pickup Kris Dunn. And yet, it ended in another early exit.
Do they try again with this core? Or is it time for a shake-up?
- Harden has a player option.
- Leonard remains under contract but is aging and injury-prone.
- Paul George, who missed the series due to injury, is eligible for an extension or trade.
“We believed in this group,” Lue said. “But we didn’t get it done. That’s the bottom line.”
A Familiar Feeling for Denver
This isn’t the first time the Nuggets have ended the Clippers’ season in a Game 7. In 2020, Denver famously came back from a 3-1 series deficit in the Orlando bubble, eliminating a heavily favored Clippers team in humiliating fashion.
Now, five years later, the Nuggets have done it again — only this time, they were the defending champs, the battle-tested veterans who simply knew how to close.
“We’ve been through the fire together,” Jokić said. “We know what it takes.”
Full Game 7 Box Score Highlights:
| Nuggets | PTS | REB | AST | FG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nikola Jokić | 18 | 9 | 13 | 7-16 |
| Jamal Murray | 19 | 3 | 7 | 8-15 |
| Aaron Gordon | 20 | 7 | 2 | 9-12 |
| Michael Porter Jr. | 17 | 5 | 2 | 6-10 |
| Christian Braun | 16 | 4 | 1 | 6-9 |
| Russell Westbrook | 16 | 5 | 3 | 7-11 |
| Clippers | PTS | REB | AST | FG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kawhi Leonard | 21 | 6 | 2 | 8-18 |
| James Harden | 7 | 2 | 4 | 3-8 |
| Norman Powell | 14 | 3 | 1 | 5-10 |
| Ivica Zubac | 11 | 10 | 1 | 4-7 |
| Derrick Jones Jr. | 6 | 3 | 0 | 2-5 |
Nuggets Roll On, Clippers Go Home
In a league where stars often determine outcomes, the Nuggets are proving that depth, chemistry, and timing are just as important. They move on to face a formidable Thunder team, one step closer to defending their title.
As for the Clippers, another season ends with unfulfilled potential and another long summer of what-ifs.
Series Overview
- Result: Nuggets win series, 4–3
- Game 1: Nuggets 112, Clippers 110
- Game 2: Clippers 105, Nuggets 102
- Game 3: Clippers 117, Nuggets 83
- Game 4: Nuggets 101, Clippers 99
- Game 5: Nuggets 131, Clippers 115
- Game 6: Clippers 111, Nuggets 105
- Game 7: Nuggets 120, Clippers 101
Entering the series, many analysts favored the Clippers given their offseason reinforcements—returning Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard, the midseason acquisition of James Harden, and a breakout campaign from center Ivica Zubac. Yet Denver, guided by two-time MVP Nikola Jokić, demonstrated depth, resilience, and execution under the brightest lights.
Next Game: Nuggets at Thunder – Monday, May 5, 2025, 9 PM ET on ESPN
