Denver advances with authority: Nuggets eliminate Clippers and will face Thunder in the semifinals.

In a series finale marked by physical and mental exhaustion, the Denver Nuggets managed to clearly defeat the Los Angeles Clippers with a score of 120-101 in the seventh game, thus securing their place in the Western Conference semifinals, where they will face the Oklahoma City Thunder .

The Clippers started the game faster, taking a 26-21 lead at the end of the first quarter, with Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray failing to score a single field goal. However, Denver responded with a dominant second quarter (37-21), allowing them to take a 58-47 lead into the break. That period proved to be the turning point in a game that had been fiercely contested in the first half.

Jokic and Murray started off poorly — combining to go 0-for-9 from the field early in the second quarter — but other players like Christian Braun set the pace, with a solid defensive team effort that bothered the Clippers .

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Already in the third quarter, Denver extended its dominance with a 15-3 run that forced Tyronn Lue to call an early timeout. Despite adjustments such as the introduction of Nicolas Batum to the starting lineup, the Los Angeles team was unable to stem the home team's momentum. Michael Porter Jr. added a three-pointer that extended the lead to 73-50, on a night where six Nuggets players finished in double-digit points.

For Denver fans, the victory was also a relief. Last season, the team had blown a 15-point halftime lead in Game 7 against Minnesota . This time, there was no collapse.

Assistant coach David Adelman had warned about the accumulated wear and tear of the series. "There's a point of exhaustion in these games," he said before the match, emphasizing the demanding schedule and the need for collective support.

Now, Denver will face the Thunder in a series pitting two of the MVP finalists against each other: Nikola Jokić and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Voting is already closed, but the duel between the two could be decisive in the minds of fans.

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