The Denver Nuggets have made history! They’ve forced the LA Clippers to a Game 7, after notching up back-to-back wins against Doc Rivers’ team. If there’s one team that has clearly impressed in the playoffs, it has to be the Nuggets. After their extraordinary comeback win in Game 6, the team celebrated in a fitting way in their locker room.
Nuggets’ Head Coach Mike Malone has been nothing short of inspirational in the bubble. He’s been the captain of the ship, guiding the team to succeed with his constant motivation. Malone also took over the duties of heading the Nuggets’ locker room celebrations.
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Sep 13, 2020; Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) handles the ball against LA Clippers guard Lou Williams (23) during the third quarter in game six of the second round of the 2020 NBA Playoffs at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY SportsAfter the win, Mike Malone had his speech written on a paper, which contained impressive facts from Game 6. It almost seemed like he was delivering a speech after winning a prestigious award at a ceremony. After his team displayed tremendous determination to seal the game, Malone said, “You guys are an amazing group.”
The Nuggets won the game 111-98, but wasn’t as straight forward as it looked. “Second half we outscored them 64-35,” Malone continued. “Second half they shot 26% from the field… You guys just have no quit in you. Never quit.”
"You guys are an amazing group. Never quit. Never quit." #MileHighBasketball pic.twitter.com/QKJDIn3K2k
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) September 13, 2020
Malone then informed the team of the pride he took in coaching the Nuggets and moved on to Nikola Jokic, who stood out as their savior in Game 6. “Nuggets on 3,” Jokic said, and the whole team joined in on the chant.
Can the Denver Nuggets pull off a victory in Game 7?
This doesn’t seem impossible anymore. At one point, the Clippers were leading the series 3-1 and the general prediction was for them to take the series in five. But the Nuggets held on tight to dismantle the Clips’ defense and outscore them.
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Similarly, in Game 6, they completed an insane comeback in the second half to make history. The Nuggets are now the first team to force two Game 7s in a single playoff run. They did it against Utah, and they are extremely capable of pulling off an upset against the Clippers.
Nikola Jokic is an absolute beast, and one of the best centers in the league. His passing range knows no limit, and it has been seen multiple times in the bubble. An ideal situation for the Nuggets would be to gain an early lead in Game 7, but they’ve proved their quality even when they are down by a large margin.
Nikola Jokić (34 PTS, 14 REB, 7 AST) leads the Denver Nuggets back from a 16+ point deficit for the second game in a row to FORCE GAME 7 ⛏#NBASundays pic.twitter.com/bpULQuBnDU
— NBA UK (@NBAUK) September 14, 2020
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The Nuggets rallied back to close out a 16 point deficit in Game 6 against the Clippers. Thus, they’re a team that refuses to give up at any point in the game. Until the final whistle is blown, you can count out the Denver Nuggets to do their best. Game 7 will be an intense matchup and a battle of which team wants it more!