Denver Nuggets vs Los Angeles Clippers

Few phrases ignite NBA fans like "Game Seven," and the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Clippers are set to deliver the first do-or-die showdown of this postseason at Ball Arena on Sunday.

Facing elimination, the Clippers fought back in Game Six at Intuit Dome, securing a 111-105 victory on Friday to keep their season alive.

After trailing 2-1 in the series, the Nuggets bounced back with wins in Games Four and Five to lead 3-2, traveling to Los Angeles with a chance to close out the series.

Under David Adelman’s guidance, the Nuggets took a slim three-point lead in the first quarter but fell behind by one at halftime. The Clippers extended their lead by 10 in the third, and despite a late Nuggets rally in the fourth, the deficit proved too large to overcome.

Nikola Jokic (25 points) and Jamal Murray (21) led the Nuggets, with five players reaching double figures in scoring, but a -7 free-throw differential hindered their efforts against the Clippers.

Now, the Nuggets have a chance to move past Friday’s loss. Five years ago, they overcame the Clippers in a dramatic seven-game playoff series, staging a rare 3-1 comeback with three consecutive wins to advance to the Western Conference finals.

The Los Angeles Clippers refused to go down without a fight, playing like a team with one last opportunity to rescue their season, as they used home court advantage to even the series at three victories apiece.

In a back-and-forth game with multiple lead changes, Tyronn Lue's side went on a 12-0 run in the early exchanges of the second half to seize control of proceedings, and there could only be one winner from there.

The Clippers' success following the restart was largely due to the addition of Nicolas Batum to the starting lineup, as the Frenchman became the first player since Andre Iguodala to post a 5/5/5/2/2 game off the bench with six points, five rebounds, six assists, two steals, and three blocks.

As big players do, James Harden and Kawhi Leonard led his teams with a combined 55 points, 16 rebounds, and 13 assists, while Norman Powell added 24 points, 11 of which came in a spectacular third quarter.