Nuggets eliminate Clippers 120-101, advance to face Thunder

The Denver Nuggets decisively defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 120-101 in Game 7 of their first-round playoff series, advancing to face the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals. Denver broke the game open with dominant second and third quarters, outscoring the Clippers 72 to 40 and leading by as much as 35 points. The Nuggets made history by having six players score at least 15 points in a Game 7, with Aaron Gordon leading the team with 22 points, while Nikola Jokic contributed 16 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists. In contrast, the Clippers struggled offensively, with only Kawhi Leonard scoring over 15 points and James Harden delivering another disappointing playoff performance. The loss marks the end of the Clippers' season, prompting reflection on missed opportunities and key moments earlier in the series. Denver now looks ahead to a challenging matchup against Oklahoma City, who enter the semifinals as title favorites.