The first Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Playoffs lived up to the hype as the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Clippers battled for a spot in the second round. After forcing the series to seven games with a strong Game 6 win at home, the Clippers came into Ball Arena hoping to pull off another road upset.
But the Nuggets had home-court advantage and two stars ready to shine—Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray. Jokić had been averaging a triple-double in the series, while Murray added 24 points per game.
On the other side, the Clippers leaned on James Harden, Kawhi Leonard, and Norman Powell, who combined for 79 points in Game 6. So, which team came out as the winner? Let’s dive into the full player stats and box score.
Denver Nuggets vs. LA Clippers Box Score
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nuggets | 21 | 37 | 35 | 27 | 120 |
| Clippers | 26 | 21 | 19 | 35 | 101 |
Nuggets’ Player Stats
| Player | MIN | PTS | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. Gordon | 35 | 22 | 4 | 5 |
| C. Braun | 38 | 21 | 5 | 4 |
| N. Jokic | 32 | 16 | 10 | 8 |
| J. Murray | 41 | 16 | 5 | 2 |
| M. Porter Jr. | 29 | 15 | 6 | 0 |
| R. Westbrook (Bench) | 27 | 16 | 5 | 5 |
| P. Watson (Bench) | 17 | 9 | 4 | 0 |
| J. Strawther (Bench) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| D. Jordan (Bench) | 6 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| J. Pickett (Bench) | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| H. Tyson (Bench) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Z. Nnaji (Bench) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Clippers’ Player Stats
| Player | MIN | PTS | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| K. Leonard | 33 | 22 | 5 | 2 |
| D. Jones Jr. | 16 | 12 | 2 | 0 |
| I. Zubac | 31 | 10 | 14 | 2 |
| N. Powell | 32 | 9 | 2 | 2 |
| J. Harden | 35 | 7 | 5 | 13 |
| K. Brown (Bench) | 8 | 13 | 0 | 3 |
| B. Bogdanovic (Bench) | 17 | 12 | 3 | 1 |
| C. Christie (Bench) | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| J. Miller (Bench) | 6 | 4 | 1 | 4 |
| N. Batum (Bench) | 28 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| K. Dunn (Bench) | 16 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| D. Eubanks (Bench) | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Nuggets vs. Clippers: Game 7 Recap
The Clippers came out with a bit more control in the first quarter, grabbing a 26-21 lead over the Nuggets. Denver’s Christian Braun brought the early energy with nine points, but Derrick Jones Jr. answered right back for L.A., putting up seven of his own to keep the momentum balanced.
Shooting was a struggle for both teams, but the Clippers had a slight edge, hitting 41.7% from the field compared to Denver’s 38.1%. The Nuggets also struggled from deep, going just 2-for-8 from three.
What a turnaround by the Nuggets in the second quarter. After trailing by five, Denver turned the table with a dominant 37-21 stretch, heading into halftime up by 11.
The defense was on point, maybe the best we’ve seen from the Nuggets all season, locking down the Clippers and controlling the pace.
Then came the knockout punch: Murray and Jokić caught fire late. Jokić hit a smooth jumper with under two minutes left, and Murray kept the offense flowing. Aaron Gordon chipped in with steady trips to the line, hitting both free throws to stretch the gap.
The Nuggets blew the game wide open in the third quarter, outscoring the Clippers 35-19. Even with a couple of hiccups from Nikola Jokić—including an offensive foul and a turnover—the Nuggets stayed locked in.
Aaron Gordon’s reverse alley-oop throwdown was the cherry on top, sending the crowd into a frenzy. Denver’s defense tightened up, and their offense flowed with confidence, taking a commanding 93-66 lead.
The Nuggets couldn’t quite hold on in the final quarter, as the Clippers rallied with a 35-point surge to outscore Denver 35-27. LA put up a fight, but the Nuggets held on to secure a 120-101 win.
Murray, Braun, and Gordon, lead the Nuggets to victory but Jokić struggled to find his rhythm, scoring just 16 points in the game. With that, Denver advances to the Western Conference semifinals, where they’ll face off against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder.
