Nuggets Inch Closer to Round 2 Meeting with OKC Thunder

With a blowout victory over the LA Clippers Tuesday, Denver got one game closer to facing OKC.

Apr 26, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) is defended by Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac (40) and forward Kawhi Leonard (2) in the second half of game four of round one of the 2024 NBA Playoffs at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Denver Nuggets and LA Clippers’ first round series has been the most competitive series of the NBA Playoffs so far, with the winner earning the privilege of taking on top-seeded Oklahoma City in Round 2.

While the series as a whole has been competitive, Tuesday night’s Game 5 certainly wasn’t, with Denver seeing a third-quarter avalanche that extended into the final frame and sent the Clippers home with a double-digit loss.

Jamal Murray was the star of the night, seeing his patented postseason offensive surge that fueled Denver to the NBA title years ago. He scored 43 points in 40 minutes, helping the Nuggets fend off a late-push from LA.

With the win, the Nuggets took a 3-2 advantage over LA, and inched closer to facing off against Oklahoma City in what’s sure to be a fireworks-laden Round 2. The Clippers jumped out to what seemed an insurmountable 2-1 lead early in the series, but Aaron Gordon's Game 4 heroics mixed with Murray's surge have put them in the driver's seat.

Oklahoma City has now seen extended rest after sweeping the Memphis Grizzlies in a quick four games. As Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said in postgame of Game 4 in Memphis, it could cause rust or offer freshness, depending on how wise the team is with its time off.

The Thunder staff has likely done its due diligence in scouting both teams thoroughly over the past few days, but it matters little who the team actually lands, as it’s sure to face a tough test regardless. For now, all signs point towards Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets winning one of the next two games to punch their ticket to the next round.

Denver, of course, will still need to finish off the Clippers on Thursday at Intuit Dome in LA, or on Saturday, May 3 in a Game 7 at home.