The Denver Nuggets made another massive comeback from being down 3-1, this time eliminating LA Clippers in seven games. Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray led their team to a 104-89 win in Game 7 to eliminate arguably the biggest candidate for winning the NBA title.
Denver was again better in the second half, once repeating performances from Game 5 and 6, and limiting the Clips to just 33 points. Eventually, that was enough for the Nuggets to become the first team to rally back from 3-1 in the series in back-to-back series during one playoff.
The Clippers had an 11-point lead with 3:25 until the halftime, once Patrick Beverly scored, but from that moment on, Denver’s surge started. With an 11-2 run, they came down to just two points away at the halftime. After that came a hurricane in the second half that wiped out all the LAC’s superstars.
As time went by, Doc Rivers’ team became more and more frustrated, while on the other side, Jamal Murray kept pounding, with Nikola Jokic organizing every little bit of Denver’s game.
Jokic became the first-ever player to reach a triple-double in Game 7 after three periods. The Serbian player ended the night with just 16 points, but he added 22 boards, 13 assists, two steals, and three blocks, once again directing his team to massive accomplishment. He was the main reason for Denver’s rule on the glass, where Nuggets dominated with 52 rebounds, 15 more than the rivals.
Meanwhile, Jamal Murray was a cold-blooded executor tonight with 40 buckets, shooting 15-for-26 from the field, with six threes. Denver’s guard added five assists and four boards as well.
Garry Harris and Jerami Grant each had 14 points, with 11 hits from the field in 21 attempts, combined.
Kawhi Leonard and Paul George had 24 points combined, and the two superstars shot 10-for-28 from the field. Leonard ended the game with 14 buckets, 6-for-22, with six boards and assists, while George had just 10 points. Them two missed all of their 11 shots in the final period.
Montrezl Harrell had a team-high with 20 points, but he had nobody beside him to help. Patrick Beverly had 11 and Lou Williams just seven buckets.
Overall, the Clippers were just 37.8% from the field, and 25.7% for three, hitting nine downtown shots in 35 attempts.
The Nuggets are now in the Western Conference finals, where they meet with the Los Angeles Lakers, and Game 1 is set for this Friday.
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