Denver Basketball Team, Nuggets, Make News Headlines
No Game 7 choke this time around for the Nuggets. They cruised past the Clippers in Game 7, winning 120-101 to advance to the Western Conference semifinals. Here's a rundown of the key takeaways from the final game.
First off, Christian Braun shut down James Harden. Braun stood his ground throughout the game, denying Harden several scoring opportunities with smart, physical defense. Harden had a tough outing with only 2-of-8 shooting for seven points. Braun was a force to be reckoned with, scoring 21 points and outperforming Harden on both ends of the court.
The Nuggets also displayed solid team play when Nikola Jokic took breaks. In the crucial three minutes that Jokic was off the floor to start the second quarter, the Nuggets rallied to turn a 26-21 deficit into a 27-26 lead. Peyton Watson and Russell Westbrook stepped up to help close the gap, before Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. sealed the deal in the fourth quarter. The Clippers might have had a last-ditch effort in the fourth, but it was too little too late.
Speaking of Westbrook, he had a remarkable playoff series. The guard shone brightest when it mattered most, harnessing the energy at Ball Arena and pouring it into the Clippers' craw. Westbrook shot scalding hot from deep in Game 7, ending the series with a career-best 42% efficiency. His energy and defensive play were instrumental in outpacing the Clippers' bench.
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[1] Stats from May 3, 2025 game: [https://basketball.realgm.com/nba/boxscore/Nuggets-Clippers-343380][2] Details on the halftime skirmish: [https://sports.yahoo.com/playoff-skirmish-christian-braun-james-203623497.html]
- The law of basketball dictates that defense can significantly impact a player's performance, as evidenced by Christian Braun's impact on James Harden in Game 7.
- The politics of the game showed in the Nuggets' strategic use of their bench, with Peyton Watson and Russell Westbrook taking advantage of Nikola Jokic's breaks to turn the tide in the second quarter.
- The policy of aggressive defense paid off for the Nuggets, with Braun successfully waving off Harden's scoring threats throughout the game.
- As politics and policy played out on the court, sportsmanship shone as both teams agreed to put aside any hard feelings from the halftime skirmish and focus on the game.
- In the realm of sports, the NBA playoffs showcased a mix of individual and team prowess, as James Harden struggled with his shooting while Christian Braun took the baseline and ran with it.
- Takeaways from the game include the Nuggets' teamwork, as evidenced by their bench stepping up during crucial moments, and Russell Westbrook's remarkable playoff series performance, featuring a career-best 42% shooting from deep.
