The Los Angeles Clippers walked into Game 7 of the 2025 NBA playoffs with a chance to punch their ticket to the second round. Instead, they walked out with more questions than answers.
A 120-101 blowout loss to the Denver Nuggets ended their playoff hopes and left Kawhi Leonard and Co. shaking their heads.
While the Nuggets lit up the scoreboard and cruised into the next round, the Clippers trailed by as much as 27 points before a late push trimmed the gap. But it was too little, too late.
Kawhi Leonard Calls Out Team’s Lack of Fight
The Clippers’ star didn’t sugarcoat their loss. After the defeat, he gave the Nuggets their due, but made it clear that the Clippers made things too easy for them.
“We could have given a better effort,” Leonard said. “They’re not 30 points better than us.”
Kawhi Leonard says that he felt like team could have given a better effort. Gives Nuggets credit, but prefaced that by saying that they're not "30 points better"
— Law Murray 🤔 (@LawMurrayTheNU)
Leonard, who finished with 22 points on 6-of-13 shooting, knew his team didn’t rise to the moment. The Clippers were outplayed in nearly every department—energy, execution, and effort. It wasn’t just the scoreboard that hurt. It was how quickly the team unraveled in front of a roaring Denver crowd.
The Nuggets were ready. After trailing early, they caught fire in the second quarter, outscoring L.A. 37-21. The Clippers couldn’t find a response. They fell behind by 27 points in the third quarter, looking lifeless on defense and disconnected on offense. A fourth-quarter push narrowed the final deficit, but the damage was done.
What’s Next for the Clippers?
For the Clippers, the biggest letdown was that their stars didn’t shine when it mattered. James Harden, once feared for his scoring, looked completely out of rhythm. He had just seven points on 2-of-8 shooting and continued his trend of struggling in elimination games. Harden has now lost a Game 7 with four different teams.
Only Kawhi stood up to the challenge and added 22 points. No one else stepped up to fill the gap. Denver knew this and locked in on stopping the Clippers’ big guns.
Meanwhile, the Nuggets played like a team. They didn’t just rely on Nikola Jokić — though he still flirted with a triple-double, recording 16 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists. Instead, they got major contributions from Aaron Gordon, who finished with 22 points, and Christian Braun, who added 21.
The loss brings an abrupt end to Leonard’s first full postseason run with this new-look Clippers core. Now, the pressure shifts to L.A.’s front office.
With contract decisions looming and another postseason disappointment in the books, the Clippers face a long offseason. Meanwhile, the Nuggets move on, battle-tested and looking every bit like a team that knows how to survive and advance.
