BBNBA: Jamal Murray and the Nuggets eliminate the Clippers

Shortly after Sovereignty eliminated my trifecta in the Kentucky Derby, Jamal Murray eliminated the LA Clippers in the NBA playoffs. Game 7 between the four and five seeds in the first round of the Western Conference took place on Derby Day, the Denver Nuggets prevailed at home, 120-101. The Blue Arrow, which would be a great horse name by the way, had 16 points, five rebounds, two assists, and a block in the win.

Murray is now 4-2 in Game 7s in his career, averaging 24.7 points in those clutch matchups. Murray seemed pretty relaxed before the game, spending time with his daughter on the court. Nothing draws more oohs and awes than a Kentucky player spending some quality time with their kid.

Jamal Murray and his daughter 😊

Series tied 3-3 I Game 7 at 7:30pm/et on TNT! pic.twitter.com/LsbDA9N6L5

— NBA (@NBA) May 3, 2025

After the game, Murray said of the win: “Everybody came to play. Everybody was ready. And the home crowd was into it, and we were able to get the job done.”

Here’s a non-BBNBA stat: Clippers guard James Harden has now lost a Game 7 in the playoffs with four different teams. That is incredibly impressive. Or embarrassing. Or amazing. It’s definitely something.

Murray and the Nuggets will now face Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals, pitting the top two MVP candidates in Nikola Jokic and SGA against each other. That series will kick off on Monday.

Tonight in the NBA Playoffs

Eastern Conference Semifinals | Game 1
6:00 (TNT) | Pacers (Jackson: out) @ Cavaliers

Western Conference First Round | Game 7 | Series tied 3-3
8:30 (TNT) | Warriors (Knox) @ Rockets (Sheppard)