The Denver Nuggets routed the Los Angeles Clippers 120-101 on Saturday night to advance to the second round of the Western Conference playoffs.
Denver dominated from the second quarter onward, outscoring the Clippers by 72-40 across the second and third periods in a wire-to-wire Game 7 blowout at Ball Arena.
Aaron Gordon led the Nuggets with 22 points, while Christian Braun added a career-playoff-high 21 points along with five rebounds and four assists.
Nikola Jokic, who finished with 16 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists in 32 minutes, played a supporting role in a rare game where Denver’s offense thrived without relying solely on him.
Denver’s bench contributed 46 points, with Russell Westbrook scoring 16 against his former team, including a breakaway dunk and rim-hanging technical that put the Nuggets up 107-76 early in the fourth.
Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. scored 16 and 15 points, respectively, as all five Denver starters finished in double digits.
The Clippers, who took a 26-21 lead after the first quarter, unraveled soon after as James Harden was held to just 7 points on 2-of-8 shooting.
Kawhi Leonard led Los Angeles with 22 points, but the team could not recover after Denver opened the second half with a 17-0 run.
Ivica Zubac, who had been solid throughout the series, was limited to 10 points and five turnovers in his quietest performance of the postseason.
Christian Braun also delivered on the defensive end, applying consistent pressure on Harden and helping force multiple Clippers turnovers.
The loss ends a disappointing season for Los Angeles, which entered the playoffs as the No. 5 seed in the West and finished with a 50-32 record.
Denver moves on to face the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder, who went 68-14 and swept Memphis in the first round.
The second-round series begins Monday night in Oklahoma City, with the Nuggets looking to carry their momentum into a matchup they split 2-2 in the regular season.
Denver’s win on Saturday night was its largest ever in a win-or-go-home playoff game and helped erase the memory of last year’s Game 7 collapse against Minnesota.
Denver shot 52.2% from the field and 37.9% from beyond the arc, compared to 47.6% and 29.6% from the Clippers.
The Nuggets also won the rebounding battle 54-45 and finished with 24 assists and 11 steals in a complete team effort.
