Aaron Gordon scored 22 factors, Christian Braun had 21 and the host Denver Nuggets used a giant third quarter to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 120-101 in Sport 7 of their Western Convention quarterfinal sequence on Saturday evening.
Denver advances to face the top-seeded Thunder within the convention semifinals. Sport 1 is on Monday evening in Oklahoma Metropolis.
Nikola Jokic completed two assists shy of a triple-double, posting 16 factors, 10 rebounds and eight assists together with three steals.
“Within the playoffs, we all know that everyone must step up,” Jokic mentioned. “Is it offensive? Is it defensive? Actually, no matter. Power-wise, in gamers, everyone must step up. And everyone who performs must contribute one thing, particularly at present … everyone did that.”
The Nuggets had six scorers attain double figures. Russell Westbrook had 16 factors, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 steals, Jamal Murray additionally scored 16 factors and Michael Porter Jr. completed with 15.
Kawhi Leonard led Los Angeles with 22 factors, Ivica Zubac had 10 factors and 14 rebounds, Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 12 off the bench and Derrick Jones Jr. additionally had 12.
James Harden was held to seven factors on 2-for-8 capturing however dished out 13 assists for the Clippers, who misplaced within the first spherical of the playoffs for the third straight season.
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“I haven’t thought in regards to the offseason, to be trustworthy,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue mentioned. “I thought of OKC; that’s what I used to be pondering. However it didn’t work out that manner. … It’s irritating shedding, however I’m not pissed off with the fellows within the locker room.”
The Nuggets outscored Los Angeles 37-21 within the second quarter to take an 11-point halftime lead and got here out scorching within the third.
Jokic hit a fall-away 16-footer, Gordon fed Braun for a 3-pointer then dunked to make it 65-50 and immediate a Clippers timeout.
Harden missed a brief jumper and Norman Powell had a turnover and layup blocked, whereas Porter drained a pair of 3-pointers. Gordon tipped in Murray’s miss to make it 75-50 with 8:12 left within the third quarter.
Jokic transformed a three-point play and Gordon dunked off a lob go from Braun to provide Denver a 28-point sport with 5:40 left within the third.
“I don’t suppose this group was 30 factors higher than us, and we’ve seen it all through the primary six video games of this sequence,” Leonard mentioned. “However you bought to provide them credit score. They got here out and fought, ran arduous in transition, acquired simple factors, they usually made photographs.”
Jokic picked up three fouls in 48 seconds late within the third and went to the bench with 5 and the Nuggets main 89-61. Murray’s two buckets acquired Denver to the fourth quarter main 93-66.
The Nuggets pushed the result in as a lot as 35 to open the fourth. Bogdanovic scored six factors in an 8-0 run, however Los Angeles cleared the bench with 6:53 left.
The Clippers reserves, led by Kobe Brown’s 13 factors, minimize the deficit to 17 however by no means threatened.
“This was a memorable sequence,” Nuggets interim coach David Adelman mentioned. “We simply don’t have time to recollect it.”