Lakers' arch-rivals, the Clippers, squander a 3-1 advantage in the playoffs, experience a record-breaking collapse against the Nuggets, leading to a dismissal of their head coach.
Rewritten Article:
The Denver Nuggets Serve Up Game 7 Heartbreak to the Los Angeles Clippers once More
In a thrilling seven-game series, the Denver Nuggets dealt the Los Angeles Clippers a hard-hitting Game 7 defeat on Saturday, winning 120-101 to advance to face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round.
A Playoff Rivalry Ignites
The Clippers and Nuggets battled it out in the first round, with the series ending 3-3.
Game 1 - Denver Nuggets 112-110 Los Angeles Clippers (OT) - Nuggets lead 1-0
Game 2 - Los Angeles Clippers 105-102 Denver Nuggets - Series tied 1-1
Game 3 - Los Angeles Clippers 117-83 Denver Nuggets - Clippers lead 2-1
Game 4 - Denver Nuggets 101-99 Los Angeles Clippers - Series tied 2-2
Game 5 - Denver Nuggets 131-115 Los Angeles Clippers - Nuggets lead 3-2
Game 6 - Los Angeles Clippers 111-105 Denver Nuggets - Series tied 3-3
Game 7 - Denver Nuggets 120-101 Los Angeles Clippers - Nuggets win series 4-3
Meanwhile, the top-seeded Thunder are watching from the sidelines, having secured a 4-0 series win over the Memphis Grizzlies. Oklahoma City now knows their opponent for the next round.
Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets are en route to Oklahoma City.
The Clippers earned a victorious performance on Thursday to tie the series for a second time, having fought from behind 1-0 and 3-2 – and even held a 2-1 lead during the nail-biting series.
These teams have previously faced off in an intense playoff series – the 2020 Western Conference semifinals, which saw a dramatic fallout in Los Angeles.
DIG DEEPER IN BASKETBALL COVERAGE
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Five years ago, in the NBA bubble in Orlando, Florida, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Clippers seized a 3-1 lead. The franchise had entered the playoffs with high championship hopes after a big off-season move ahead of that campaign.
They signed free agent Kawhi Leonard and were at the center of an epic trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder, exchanging Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and multiple first-round draft picks for Paul George, expecting to shift the balance of power out West.
When the Clippers took a 12-point lead at halftime of Game 5 vs the Nuggets, they took a big step towards achieving their championship aspirations.
But the second half of that game – which the Clippers would end up losing 111-105 –would mark the beginning of a stunning series collapse. Game 6 was similar, with the Clippers leading before surrendering the victory and going to a Game 7.
That win-or-go-home game saw perennial playoff performer Jamal Murray deliver 40 points as the Nuggets clinched a 104-89 victory, completing a dramatic comeback from 3-1 down to win 4-3.
Game 7 was a harsh blow to the Clippers, with stars like Leonard and George performing poorly at the crucial moments.
Leonard ended the game with 14 points on a disappointing 6-of-22 shooting, while George scored 10 points on a similarly poor 4-of-16.
Before the pandemic, George was affectionately known as 'Playoff P' due to his impressive playoff performances, particularly with the Pacers and OKC.
But during the bubble, he struggled and was derided online, earning the ironic nickname 'Pandemic P'. The Nuggets seemingly pulled off the impossible, but this wasn't their first remarkable comeback in the playoffs.
They had previously overcome a 3-1 deficit against the Utah Jazz during the first round, making them the third team in US major sports to rally from a pair of 3-1 deficits in the same playoffs, joining the 1985 Kansas City Royals and 2003 Minnesota Wild.
However, the most significant fallout from this shocking collapse was Clippers head coach Doc Rivers being fired.
Rivers has a 6-10 record in Game 7s and has lost five consecutive Game 7s from 2015-2023.
"Thank you Clipper Nation for allowing me to be your coach and for all your support in helping make this a winning franchise," Rivers said at the time.
"When I took this job, my goals were to make this a winning basketball program, a free agent destination, and bring a championship to this organization. While I was able to accomplish most of my goals, I won't be able to see them all through.
"Though it was a disappointing ending to our season, you are right there, and I know what this team is capable of accomplishing with your support."
Fast forward to 2025, and George now plays for the Philadelphia 76ers, and the Clippers have yet to reach the NBA Finals.
Leonard and James Harden - the latter still chasing his first ring – are back to the drawing board. And the Joker marches on.
- In a throwback to their 2020 playoff series, the NBA's boxing match between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Denver Nuggets will continue, with the Nuggets' victory over the Los Angeles Clippers securing a 117-101 score in Game 7.
- The unrecognizable James Harden, sans his signature beard, will likely witness the Nuggets' basketball prowess as they take on the Thunder, following Harden's move to the Philadelphia 76ers.
- The Clippers, led by the faltering performance of stars like Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, have yet to make an NBA Finals appearance, despite their high championship aspirations in 2020.
- The Los Angeles Clippers arena, worth a billion dollars, has echoed with unfavorable fan chants, as 'Flopper' and MVP favorite Leonard has dealt with criticism during his Clippers tenure.
- The Clippers, who failed to capitalize on a 12-point halftime lead in Game 5 against the Denver Nuggets during the 2020 playoffs, experienced a stunning series collapse, ultimately leading to the dismissal of coach Doc Rivers.
