The two greatest words in sports: game seven. That’s where the Los Angeles Clippers and Denver Nuggets are headed.
Backed by a roaring home crowd — including a courtside appearance from John Wall — the Clippers staved off elimination Thursday night, outlasting Denver 111-105 to push their first-round series to the brink.
James Harden led the charge with 28 points and 8 assists, while Kawhi Leonard added a double-double (27 points, 10 rebounds) and Norman Powell poured in 24, including 16 in the second half. The trio combined for 79 points, lifting LA past a relentless Nuggets squad.
The pivotal stretch came in the third quarter, where Powell and Kawhi combined for 20 points to give the Clippers their largest lead of the game. Denver responded late, trimming the deficit to six with under three minutes to play, but a clutch Powell three sealed the win.
The series shifts back to Denver for Game 7 on Saturday night — a rematch of their 2020 playoff classic. Two MVPs, two deep rosters, one final battle.