Game 7 Collapse: Where Did the Clippers Really Lose This Series?

The Los Angeles Clippers were 12 minutes away from potential redemption—a Game 7 showdown on the road in Denver, a stage where legacies are built and dreams are either realized or crushed. But instead of writing the next chapter in a resilient playoff run, the Clippers imploded, suffering a brutal 120–101 loss that sent them packing in the first round. A series that had all the makings of a classic, evenly matched war between two Western Conference heavyweights ended in anticlimactic disaster.

To understand the magnitude of this collapse, let’s rewind. Through six games, the series had been about as even as a playoff battle can get. The Clippers and Nuggets each held the lead for roughly 139 minutes across those games, with Denver edging out by just 41 seconds. Two blowouts—one per team—balanced the scales, while the other four games were decided by clutch-time execution, including Aaron Gordon’s miracle buzzer-beater in Game 4. It was physical, tactical, and emotionally exhausting basketball. Even Nikola Jokic declared it the “best first-round series” for true basketball fans.

But when it mattered most—when the lights were brightest—the Clippers unraveled.

A Game 7 Nightmare

The numbers paint the picture, but the on-court visuals screamed louder. The Clippers entered the second quarter with a modest five-point lead, only to be blitzed by a 37–21 Denver run. By the time the third quarter ended, Denver had added another 35–19 haymaker, ballooning the lead to 27 points and transforming the final frame into little more than garbage time.

The cruelest irony? This wasn’t Jokic or Jamal Murray playing hero ball. Jokic was pedestrian by his standards—14 points on 5-of-13 shooting with five turnovers and five fouls. Murray wasn’t far better, finishing with 16 points, zero made threes, and a forgettable five-to-four assist-to-turnover ratio. This wasn’t star dominance—it was role-player supremacy.

For the Clippers, meanwhile, this Game 7 felt all too familiar: a high-pressure moment gone completely awry.

The Harden Problem

James Harden, once again, came up excruciatingly small in a legacy-defining game. 8 shots. 2 makes. 1 three. 7 points. He logged 13 assists, yes, but that’s lipstick on a pig when your team is spiraling in a Game 7 and you go scoreless in a full third quarter—one in which you played all 12 minutes.

This wasn’t just an off night. This was a player shrinking. It’s a pattern now. Harden opened the series strong with 32 points in Game 1 and posted 28 in Game 6, but the other five games? Not a single 20-point outing. His combined Game 5 and 7 totals: 2-of-17 shooting, 18 points, two blowout losses. You can’t win playoff series with your supposed No. 2 option offering disappearing acts on command.

Kawhi Was... Fine

Kawhi Leonard wasn’t the problem. He wasn’t the solution, either. He put up a respectable 22 points on 13 shots, but didn’t look like the same dominant force who dropped 39 in Game 2. That was his lone 30+ point outing this series, and at 32 years old—after a season of load management and careful ramp-up—he looked like a step slower version of the two-time Finals MVP.

In the defining third quarter, Kawhi took only three shots. And while he hit two of them, the assertiveness that once defined his playoff aura never surfaced.

Zubac: The Lone Bright Spot

Ivica Zubac deserves his flowers. The big man battled Nikola Jokic every step of the way and arguably outplayed the two-time MVP in stretches. He recorded a 10-point, 14-rebound double-double in Game 7 and held Jokic to a 5-of-13 shooting night. Throughout the series, Zubac averaged 17.4 points and 10.1 boards, shooting an excellent 65.9% from the field. He was physical, disciplined, and far more consistent than anyone expected.

If Zubac hadn’t anchored the paint, the series might have been over in five. Unfortunately, his efforts were rendered meaningless by the meltdown around him.

The Powell Disappearing Act

Norm Powell had been a spark plug at home, averaging 22 points on 57.5% shooting in Los Angeles. On the road, however, he vanished. Game 7 was no different: 4-of-11 from the field, zero threes, nine points, and three back-breaking turnovers.

Powell’s Jekyll-and-Hyde act now creates a contract dilemma. Eligible for a four-year, $129 million extension this summer, his age (32 next season) and playoff inconsistency make that price tag a hard sell. For comparison, Derrick White—similar age, similar contract range—brings far more two-way value when the stakes are high. Powell might've had an All-Star caliber regular season, but he flamed out when it mattered most.

Aging Core, Aging Window

Let’s face it: this roster might be aging out of contention. Harden will be 36 next season. Kawhi will be 34. Bogdanovic, if retained, will be 33. Even complementary players like Zubac and Derrick Jones Jr. will be pushing 30. The average age of the core group is rising fast—and their athleticism, health, and reliability are clearly declining with it.

Despite Steve Ballmer’s deep pockets and endless ambition—highlighted by funding a Game 7 road fan section and constructing the new Intuit Dome—the team continues to deliver early exits. This was their third straight first-round departure. The runway is getting shorter.

The Ty Lue Factor

Coach Tyronn Lue just celebrated his 48th birthday—but the only gift he received was another postseason disappointment. While Lue is a respected figure and a championship-winning coach, his series management left a lot to be desired.

The Nuggets’ bench completely outclassed the Clippers’ second unit. Adjustments came late, rotations were clunky, and no counter ever materialized when Denver hit the gas in Game 7. His quote after the loss was revealing: “I haven’t thought about the offseason. I’m still thinking about the Thunder.”

That may be true. But someone in the Clippers’ front office better start thinking about his future—because if Ballmer wants accountability, Lue might be first in line for the hot seat.

Roster Decisions Loom

So where do the Clippers go from here? Major questions will dominate the offseason:

• Do they extend Powell at $129 million?

• Should they reshuffle the core, moving on from Harden or even Kawhi?

• Do they bring in younger, more durable players to refresh the aging roster?

• Is Ty Lue the right coach to lead a win-now team into a brutal Western Conference landscape?

There are no easy answers. Ballmer’s been all-in from Day 1, but he’s yet to see anything close to a return on that investment in late May and June. The talent has been there. The infrastructure has been there. The opportunity has been there.

And yet, year after year, the Clippers come up short. Embarrassingly short.

Commentary: This wasn’t just a Game 7 loss. It was a referendum. On Harden. On Kawhi. On Ty Lue. On the very idea that the Clippers, as currently constructed, are anything more than a regular-season mirage. For a franchise built on ambition and spectacle, the product has been a playoff ghost. And now, standing on the edge of yet another early exit, it’s time to stop asking “what went wrong?” and start deciding what comes next.

Because if the Clippers don’t blow it up soon, Father Time surely will.