The NBA 2025 eliminations are about to have their first match 7, grabs a series Denver Nuggets-Los Angeles Clippers which seems to change the complexion with each match.
After A loss of eruption in match 5The mowers have recovered with a full effort In a 111-105 victory On Thursday at Intuit Dome to force a win-liver match on Saturday in Denver. The winner's reward: a date with the seeded of Oklahoma City Thunder N ° 1.
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The basic formula of the Clippers for success ended up being their usual plan A, with a little more help from Nicolas Batum. Kawhi Leonard and James Harden took the share of the lion of use in an important effect, Norman Powell broke out when they needed another look and Ivica Zubac controlled painting at both ends of the soil.
Powell in particular kept the mowers forward when Denver threatened a return after losing 15 points in the middle of the fourth quarter, plus a dubious game from the old friend Russell Westbrook.
Powell ended the match with 24 points out of 9 shoots out of 14, while Leonard collected 27 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, and Harden collected 28 points and eight assists.
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Zubac's impact was more felt in Nikola Jokić's figures. The triple MVP was held at five points, two rebounds and four assists in the second period. The Nuggets outstripped the clippers by a single point with him on the ground, and this team won very few games this season by surpassing the opposition in the non-Jookić minutes.
This difference was the most felt in the third quarter, when a 12-0 Clippers race pushed them with two figures. The nuggets cut which led to as little as five in the section, but it was not enough to avoid a match 7.
James Harden bounces
Harden entered this series with a reputation as a sub-performance in the playoffs despite years of historically effective score in the regular season. Match 5 did nothing to discourage this chatter. With a crowd of ball bullets that sing “Harden Sucks” sometimes, the former MVP only posted 11 points on 3 shots out of 9 rebounds, five assists and four reversals.
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Match 6 ended up being a different animal.
Harden was significantly more aggressive throughout the night, especially with a 3 -point that put the game almost out of reach for the Nuggets.
The next step will be a match 7, an environment in which Harden's difficulties are even more documented. Even if it is only the first round, Harden has a chance to exorcise certain demons.
Clippers finally kisses Nic Batum
Everything did not work consistently for the clippers this series, but a player who has is Nic Batum.
The 3 -point veterans specialist entered Thursday with solid efficiency statistics and a more 23 note on the series. He has an average career of 4.0 points per game this season, but his defense and his severity on the perimeter have definitely made a difference against Denver.
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So, it was not a surprise that Batum was on the ground for a 34 -minute top, in which the Clippers outperformed the 11 -point nuggets. He did not start, but he started the second half for the first time all the series.
It is conceivable that Los Angeles kisses even more Batum by starting him with Kris Dunn in match 7, which Denver will have to adapt.
