Apr 29, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) dribbles during the second half against the LA Clippers in game five of the first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images The Denver Nuggets were wobbling and in complete disarray after losing by 34 points in Game 3 of their first-round series against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Their plight has changed quickly with back-to-back victories, and now the Nuggets will try to close out the Western Conference series when they face the Clippers in Game 6 on Thursday night at Inglewood, Calf.
Denver won Game 4 on Aaron Gordon’s dunk at the buzzer and then watched Jamal Murray go ballistic with 43 points on Tuesday night in a 131-115 home win that gave the Nuggets the 3-2 series lead.
Murray drained eight 3-pointers while turning the arena into his personal shooting gallery. He made 17 of 26 shots overall and also had seven assists, five rebounds and three steals.
“It sure is nice to have these nights where it’s his show,” Denver interim coach David Adelman said. “We needed it in a big game.”
Murray has six career 40-point efforts in the postseason, which is a franchise record.
“When he’s aggressive, we’re a different team,” said Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook, who added 21 points off the bench. “When he’s got that swagger and he’s going out and competing at the level he did (Tuesday night), we’re a tough team to beat.”
Denver took the series lead despite three-time MVP Nikola Jokic scoring just 13 points on 4-of-13 shooting. But he did contribute 12 assists and 10 rebounds for his 21st career playoff triple-double.
“Holding Joker to 13 points and losing the game is tough but that’s how they beat you,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. “If you worry about him too much, other guys can beat you. But I just thought Jamal Murray was excellent.”
Los Angeles received stellar outings from Ivica Zubac (27 points on 11-of-15 shooting) and Kawhi Leonard (20 points, 11 assists, nine rebounds) in Game 5, but the team is hoping for a re-emergence from James Harden in Thursday’s elimination game.
Harden averaged 20 points over the first three games, but it dropped to 13 over the past two contests. He was just 3 of 9 from the floor for 11 points in Game 5.
“I think Denver made up their mind that they’re going to take him out of the series,” Lue said of Harden’s plight. “And they’re doing a good job. I’ve got to do a better job of finding ways to get him open and to get him space.”
Leonard is known for big playoff performances and has scored 20 or more points in each game of the series while averaging 25.2. His best showing was 39 (on 15-of-19 shooting) in Game 2.
Including the regular season, Leonard has scored at least 20 in each of his past 20 appearances.
But the two-time NBA Finals MVP isn’t consumed with his scoring. He’s more concerned about figuring out how to keep the series alive.
“Taking it one possession at a time and going out there and trying to start the game off in a good way,” Leonard said. “Stay poised, limit mistakes and play confidently.”
The Clippers are looking to avoid their third straight first-round exit. They lost in five games to the Phoenix Suns in 2023 and in six games to the Dallas Mavericks last season.
The Nuggets won the NBA title in 2023 before losing to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round last season.
Murray won’t be thinking about a scoring encore when he arrives at the arena on Thursday. He just wants to see his team post a series-clinching victory.
“Game 6 is one of the hardest ones,” Murray said. “That team is fighting for their life and playing in front of their home crowd. We’re going to have to bring it for all 48 minutes.”
–Field Level Media
This news was originally published on this post .
About the author
UFC 315: Champion Belal Muhammad says ‘nothing’ will stop him from walking out with Palestinian flag
Getty Images UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad will proudly raise the Palestinian flag when he walks out at UFC 315 on May 10.Waving the banner for Palestine is fundamentally crucial to Muhammad, an American born to Palestinian parents. That's why Muhammad has spoken with the UFC to guarantee he can walk out with the Palestinian flag. It's especially important to Muhammad amid the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict."We've talked about it and they've accepted it," Muhammad told MMA Fighting. "Nothing is going to stop me from doing it."It's been over two years now where they're dying, they're starving, the people over there are in so much pain. The world's just watching it. The world's just coming up with excuses for it. It's wild." Questions about flag approval persist despite UFC CEO Dana White ending the company's flag ban in October 2023. The […]
Inter manager Simone Inzaghi, midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu to serve one-game suspension after ultras scandal
Getty Images Inter midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu and Inter manager Simone Inzaghi will serve one-match suspension in the current 2024-25 Serie A season after their names emerged in the ultras investigation that led to the arrest of 19 Inter and AC Milan supporters on September 30. Both player and manager emerged in the investigation, having contacts with some of the ultras who were investigated for the control of the money flow around the stadium's business. Club members were fined by the sports prosecutor for "the prohibition of having relationships with members of groups or supporter groups that are not part of associations affiliated with the clubs, for having had, at least starting from the 2022-23 sports season, relationships with members of the ultra group called 'Curva Nord.'" Former AC Milan captain Davide Calabria is the only one among those involved in the investigation […]
LeBron James sidesteps question about Lakers playing without a center, getting exposed by Timberwolves
Getty Images The Los Angeles Lakers season is over after a gentleman's sweep in the first round of the playoffs at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Wolves finished off the Lakers on Wednesday night with a 103-96 win in Game 5, where big man Rudy Gobert was the star of the show for Minnesota. The three-time Defensive Player of the Year winner finished with a career-high 27 points to go along with 24 rebounds and two blocks. While a tip of the cap should be given to Gobert for his efforts, it also highlighted a glaring weakness for the Lakers.For the entire game, the Lakers did not play with a traditional center on the floor. Jaxon Hayes, who started in each of L.A.'s first four playoff games against the Wolves, didn't see a single second of playing time […]
Is NHL playoff physicality out of hand?
Red Light newsletter 🏒 | This is The Athletic’s hockey newsletter. Sign up here to receive Red Light directly in your inbox. Good morning! Today is Day 13 of the NHL playoffs. Three teams are eliminated and only Game 6s and 7s are left in Round 1. Buckle up 💥🚗While You Were Sleeping (Scott Taetsch / Getty Images)Eulogies for the Devils, Habs and BoltsThe badly injured Devils and plucky Canadiens exiting stage left first and second isn’t much of a surprise, as those were two of the more predictably lopsided series coming in. Expect both teams back with better showings a year from now, given their young talent.But the Lightning getting dumped in five games is a significant surprise, even at the hands of the defending champion Panthers. Tampa Bay looked like a serious contender all year, with the NHL’s seventh-best […]
Wo es ihn hinzieht – Weltmeister-Trainer Herbert verlässt Bayern
Der nächste Verlust für den FC Bayern Basketball!Bereits seit Mittwoch steht der Abgang vom langjährigen Boss Marko Pesic fest. Jetzt ist auch klar: Trainer Gordon Herbert wird den Verein verlassen.Der Weltmeister-Trainer Deutschlands wird seinen Vertrag bis 2026 noch erfüllen und danach neuer Nationaltrainer Kanadas. Das gab der Verband am Donnerstagnachmittag offiziell bekannt.Über den ganzen Platz: Wurf des Jahres endet tragisch!<!-->[-->Quelle: Dyn01.05.2025Für Herbert schließt sich damit ein Kreis. Der gebürtige Kanadier trainierte bereits im Jahr 2018 die kanadische Nationalmannschaft und spielte während seiner Aktivenzeit von 1983 bis 1986 für sein Geburtsland.Herbert über sein kommendes Engagement: „Ich fühle mich unglaublich geehrt und freue mich auf die Gelegenheit, mein Heimatland zu trainieren. Kanada-Basketball hat in den letzten Jahren enorme Fortschritte gemacht, und die Tiefe der Talente im Programm ist so gut wie überall auf der Welt. Ich freue mich darauf, auf der starken […]
O Hartovu trofej se v NHL uchází Draisaitl, Hellebuyck a Kučerov
Draisaitl byl s 52 góly nejlepším střelcem základní části a se 106 body obsadil v produktivitě dělené třetí místo, přestože odehrál jen 71 zápasů. Devětadvacetiletý německý centr, který už Hart Trophy získal v sezoně 2019/20, počtvrté za sebou dosáhl na hranici 100 bodů.Kučerov stejně jako loni a v ročníku 2018/2019 ovládl bodování základní části, když zaznamenal 37 gólů a 84 asistencí. Jednatřicetiletý ruský útočník se o Hartovu trofej uchází potřetí. V roce 2019 ocenění získal, loni byl dvojnásobný vítěz Stanleyova poháru druhý. Je také v nominaci na Ted Lindsay Award pro nejlepšího hokejistu NHL podle hráčské asociace.Hellebuyck pomohl Winnipegu k triumfu v základní části. V 63 zápasech si připsal 47 výher a v obou statistikách byl nejlepší v lize, stejně jako v průměru obdržených branek (2,00) a počtu čistých kont (8). S úspěšností zákroků 92,5 procenta skončil druhý.Hellebuyck obhájil Jenningsovu trofej pro brankáře s nejmenším počtem inkasovaných gólů a je také v nominaci na Vezinovu trofej, kterou už v minulosti dvakrát získal. Hartovu trofej může jednatřicetiletý Američan dostat jako první gólman od […]
Related
UFC 315: Champion Belal Muhammad says ‘nothing’ will stop him from walking out with Palestinian flag
Getty Images UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad will proudly raise the Palestinian flag when he walks out at UFC 315 on May 10.Waving the banner for Palestine is fundamentally crucial to Muhammad, an American born to Palestinian parents. That's why Muhammad has spoken with the UFC to guarantee he can walk out with the Palestinian flag. It's especially important to Muhammad amid the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict."We've talked about it and they've accepted it," Muhammad told MMA Fighting. "Nothing is going to stop me from doing it."It's been over two years now where they're dying, they're starving, the people over there are in so much pain. The world's just watching it. The world's just coming up with excuses for it. It's wild." Questions about flag approval persist despite UFC CEO Dana White ending the company's flag ban in October 2023. The […]
Inter manager Simone Inzaghi, midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu to serve one-game suspension after ultras scandal
Getty Images Inter midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu and Inter manager Simone Inzaghi will serve one-match suspension in the current 2024-25 Serie A season after their names emerged in the ultras investigation that led to the arrest of 19 Inter and AC Milan supporters on September 30. Both player and manager emerged in the investigation, having contacts with some of the ultras who were investigated for the control of the money flow around the stadium's business. Club members were fined by the sports prosecutor for "the prohibition of having relationships with members of groups or supporter groups that are not part of associations affiliated with the clubs, for having had, at least starting from the 2022-23 sports season, relationships with members of the ultra group called 'Curva Nord.'" Former AC Milan captain Davide Calabria is the only one among those involved in the investigation […]
LeBron James sidesteps question about Lakers playing without a center, getting exposed by Timberwolves
Getty Images The Los Angeles Lakers season is over after a gentleman's sweep in the first round of the playoffs at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Wolves finished off the Lakers on Wednesday night with a 103-96 win in Game 5, where big man Rudy Gobert was the star of the show for Minnesota. The three-time Defensive Player of the Year winner finished with a career-high 27 points to go along with 24 rebounds and two blocks. While a tip of the cap should be given to Gobert for his efforts, it also highlighted a glaring weakness for the Lakers.For the entire game, the Lakers did not play with a traditional center on the floor. Jaxon Hayes, who started in each of L.A.'s first four playoff games against the Wolves, didn't see a single second of playing time […]
Is NHL playoff physicality out of hand?
Red Light newsletter 🏒 | This is The Athletic’s hockey newsletter. Sign up here to receive Red Light directly in your inbox. Good morning! Today is Day 13 of the NHL playoffs. Three teams are eliminated and only Game 6s and 7s are left in Round 1. Buckle up 💥🚗While You Were Sleeping (Scott Taetsch / Getty Images)Eulogies for the Devils, Habs and BoltsThe badly injured Devils and plucky Canadiens exiting stage left first and second isn’t much of a surprise, as those were two of the more predictably lopsided series coming in. Expect both teams back with better showings a year from now, given their young talent.But the Lightning getting dumped in five games is a significant surprise, even at the hands of the defending champion Panthers. Tampa Bay looked like a serious contender all year, with the NHL’s seventh-best […]
Wo es ihn hinzieht – Weltmeister-Trainer Herbert verlässt Bayern
Der nächste Verlust für den FC Bayern Basketball!Bereits seit Mittwoch steht der Abgang vom langjährigen Boss Marko Pesic fest. Jetzt ist auch klar: Trainer Gordon Herbert wird den Verein verlassen.Der Weltmeister-Trainer Deutschlands wird seinen Vertrag bis 2026 noch erfüllen und danach neuer Nationaltrainer Kanadas. Das gab der Verband am Donnerstagnachmittag offiziell bekannt.Über den ganzen Platz: Wurf des Jahres endet tragisch!<!-->[-->Quelle: Dyn01.05.2025Für Herbert schließt sich damit ein Kreis. Der gebürtige Kanadier trainierte bereits im Jahr 2018 die kanadische Nationalmannschaft und spielte während seiner Aktivenzeit von 1983 bis 1986 für sein Geburtsland.Herbert über sein kommendes Engagement: „Ich fühle mich unglaublich geehrt und freue mich auf die Gelegenheit, mein Heimatland zu trainieren. Kanada-Basketball hat in den letzten Jahren enorme Fortschritte gemacht, und die Tiefe der Talente im Programm ist so gut wie überall auf der Welt. Ich freue mich darauf, auf der starken […]
O Hartovu trofej se v NHL uchází Draisaitl, Hellebuyck a Kučerov
Draisaitl byl s 52 góly nejlepším střelcem základní části a se 106 body obsadil v produktivitě dělené třetí místo, přestože odehrál jen 71 zápasů. Devětadvacetiletý německý centr, který už Hart Trophy získal v sezoně 2019/20, počtvrté za sebou dosáhl na hranici 100 bodů.Kučerov stejně jako loni a v ročníku 2018/2019 ovládl bodování základní části, když zaznamenal 37 gólů a 84 asistencí. Jednatřicetiletý ruský útočník se o Hartovu trofej uchází potřetí. V roce 2019 ocenění získal, loni byl dvojnásobný vítěz Stanleyova poháru druhý. Je také v nominaci na Ted Lindsay Award pro nejlepšího hokejistu NHL podle hráčské asociace.Hellebuyck pomohl Winnipegu k triumfu v základní části. V 63 zápasech si připsal 47 výher a v obou statistikách byl nejlepší v lize, stejně jako v průměru obdržených branek (2,00) a počtu čistých kont (8). S úspěšností zákroků 92,5 procenta skončil druhý.Hellebuyck obhájil Jenningsovu trofej pro brankáře s nejmenším počtem inkasovaných gólů a je také v nominaci na Vezinovu trofej, kterou už v minulosti dvakrát získal. Hartovu trofej může jednatřicetiletý Američan dostat jako první gólman od […]
Be the first to leave a comment