Denver Outclasses Clippers in Lopsided Game 7 Victory

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

The Denver Nuggets erased an early 1-2 series deficit and wrapped up their NBA Western Conference best-of-seven first-round playoff series with an emphatic Game 7 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers, 120-101, on May 4, 2025.

While the others emphasized the Clippers’ lackluster effort on both ends, they forgot how the Nuggets responded after absorbing a painful Game 6 loss, protecting home court in a pressure-packed Game 7 elimination showdown.

After trailing by six points in the opening quarter of the winner-take-all clash, Denver banked on their solid second-frame outburst and never looked back when they established a double-digit cushion at the half.

The Nuggets only dropped 21 points in the first, but completely turned the tables in the following period after outscoring the Clippers, 37-21.

Multiple players stepped up for the Nuggets during their tremendous second-quarter outing led by Russell Westbrook who immediately injected the much-needed energy off the bench.

Aside from Westbrook, Michael Porter Jr., who is having a rough series against the Clippers, finally sank timely shots that prevented Los Angeles from chipping away their deficit, backstopped by the athletic Aaron Gordon who dominated the shaded lane with his second-chance points.

Perhaps the biggest turnaround for the Nuggets was their demoralizing 18-2 scoring run at the start of the third, which ballooned their lead to 22 points while forcing Clippers head coach Tyrone Lue to call two quick timeouts out of frustration.

Denver caught fire during that avalanche and stunned the Clippers with their efficient inside-outside attack while keeping the visitors out of their comfort zone by sticking to their mixed-zone defense.

Surprisingly, the Clippers never showed resistance and allowed the Nuggets to replicate their one-sided second-quarter performance with a dominant 35-19 outplay at the end of the third.

Denver led by as much as 35 points, a deficit gap that was too much to cover for the Clippers on the road. With nothing going on for his team, Lue decided to wave the white flag with six minutes remaining in the game by pulling out his main offensive weapon, Kawhi Leonard.

The Clippers’ bench players were able to cut Denver’s lead to 16 points, but David Adelman re-inserted his starters back to ensure the Game 7 dub and a sure ticket to the Western Conference semifinals.

Six players for the Nuggets all reached the double-digit scoring mark, spearheaded by Gordon who top-scored his team with 22 points built from an efficient 9/16 shooting from the field.

Christian Braun also stepped up when Denver needed him the most and achieved his best-scoring game of the series during the win-or-go-home with 21 markers, five rebounds, and four assists.

Meanwhile, the trio of Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Westbrook each chipped in 16 points while Porter Jr. delivered 15.

On the other hand, the Clippers absorbed another post-season to forget after failing to move past the first round of the playoffs.

Leonard was the only light bringer for Los Angeles after tallying 22 points, five boards, two dimes, and two blocks.

James Harden, who is coming off his best scoring outing last Game 6, was nowhere to be found in the most important situation after only dropping seven markers in 35 minutes of action.

With the huge escape win, the Nuggets will next be facing the no. 1 team in the West, the Oklahoma City Thunder, and are yet to drop a single playoff game after sweeping the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round.