The nuggets prevail in the seventh game against the Los Angeles Clippers.
A week after the “Sweepe” in round one, the opponent of Oklahoma City Thunder is now in the quarter-finals of the NBA play-offs: The team of the German Basketball professional Isaiah Hartenstein will meet Denver Nuggets in the series from Monday (local time). The champions from 2023 won the seventh game against the Los Angeles Clippers with 120: 101 and continued 4: 3.
“It feels good, but I also know that we will fly to Oklahoma tomorrow,” said David Adelman, interim coach of the Nuggets. OKC had given the Memphis Grizzlies with 4-0 in round one and was the first team to qualify for the quarter -finals. Already in the main round, Oklahoma had dominated in the west and reached the play-offs as the best team.
Denver had to fight against it, but in the crucial game against the Clipper the nuggets kept their nerves, although Nikola Jokic rarely scored than usual. The Serb (16 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists) needed help from his teammates. And he got that from Aaron Gordon (22 points) and Christian Braun (21). Jamal Murray, Russel Westbrook (16 each) and Michael Porter Jr. (15) also scored double digits.
“We know that everyone has to buy in the play -offs on the offensive and defensive. Everyone has to make their contribution,” said Jokic: “Today the boys did it – that was outstanding.”
Braun particularly protruded on the defensive and only allowed Clipper’s star James Harden to seven points. Kawhi Leonard also only came to 22 points for the strong team from Los Angeles, which had won 18 out of 21 games in the final sprint of the Regular Season. The victory of the Nuggets therefore never ended up in danger.
This is only open to a first round series: the Houston Rockets and the Golden State Warriors play the last place in the quarter -finals at 3: 3 on Sunday. The winner meets the Minnesota Timberwolves.