On an electrifying night at Ball Arena, the Denver Nuggets sealed their ticket to the Western Conference semifinals with a 120-101 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 7 of the first round of the NBA Playoffs. With an impeccable collective performance, the Nuggets dominated from start to finish, leaving a Los Angeles team that arrived with great expectations without options.
From the start, the Clippers tried to impose their rhythm, achieving a 26-21 advantage in the first quarter. However, the Nuggets responded with a blistering offense in the second and third periods, outscoring the Clippers 72-40 in that stretch. The key to the win was the depth of the Denver team, with six players scoring in double digits.
Aaron Gordon led the offense with 22 points, 4 rebounds On the Clippers' side, Kawhi Leonard was the top scorer with 22 points, but James Harden had a night to forget, recording just 7 points on 2-of-8 shooting from the field.
The turning point of the game came in the third quarter, when the Nuggets unleashed a 17-0 run, extending their lead to 35 points. Denver's defense was relentless, limiting the Clippers to just 7 points in nearly seven minutes. Frustration was evident in Los Angeles, with Russell Westbrook receiving a technical foul after a spectacular dunk that all but sealed the game.
With this victory, the Nuggets advance to the Western semifinals, where they will face the Oklahoma City Thunder, the top-ranked team in the conference. Denver will look to maintain its dominance and prove that it is ready to fight for another title after its championship in 2023.
The Clippers' elimination marks the end of a season full of ups and downs. Despite coming in as one of the most in-form teams, with 18 wins in their last 21 games, they failed to keep it together at the crucial moment. Now, the Nuggets have the opportunity to continue writing their history in these playoffs.
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