Jamal Murray lit up the court in Denver on Tuesday night, scoring a game-high 43 points to lead the Nuggets to a commanding 131-115 win over the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 5 of their playoff series. The victory puts the Nuggets just one win away from advancing to the second round of the NBA playoffs.

Murray came alive in the second half, pouring in 24 points—including 11 in a crucial third quarter—to break the game wide open. His final three-pointer with just over two minutes remaining stretched Denver’s lead to 20 and sent Ball Arena into a frenzy.

Nikola Jokic added yet another triple-double to his playoff resume, finishing with 13 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds. Aaron Gordon chipped in 23 points, while Michael Porter Jr. and Christian Braun added 14 and 11 points respectively, with Braun also pulling down 12 rebounds.

The Nuggets have now won two straight to grab a 3-2 series lead. Game 6 shifts to Los Angeles on Thursday, where Denver will have a chance to close it out.

Despite a strong push from the Clippers in the fourth quarter, cutting the deficit to just nine points with four minutes left, Denver held firm. Key buckets from Murray and Gordon shut the door on LA’s comeback hopes.

Russell Westbrook, returning from injury, came off the bench for Denver and scored 21 points against his former team. The Nuggets shot a scorching 51.5% from beyond the arc, hitting 17 of their 33 three-point attempts.

For the Clippers, Ivica Zubac was a standout with 27 points, while Kawhi Leonard added 20 points, 11 assists, and nine rebounds. James Harden struggled offensively, managing just 11 points on 3-of-9 shooting.

Elsewhere in the NBA playoffs, the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers secured their spots in the second round, while the New York Knicks missed a golden opportunity to join them.

The Celtics cruised past the Orlando Magic with a dominant 120-89 win at TD Garden, clinching the series 4-1. Meanwhile, the Pacers delivered one of the most dramatic comebacks of the postseason, overcoming a 20-point deficit and then rallying in overtime to edge the Milwaukee Bucks 119-118 in a thriller in Indianapolis.

Tyrese Haliburton sealed the deal for Indiana with a fearless driving layup in the final seconds after a crucial turnover by the Bucks’ Gary Trent Jr. It capped off an 8-0 Pacers run in the last 40 seconds of overtime, sending the home crowd into jubilation.

“Both teams left everything out there,” said Pacers coach Rick Carlisle. “But fortune favours the bold—and our guys were bold when it mattered most.”

The Pacers will now face top-seeded Cleveland in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Back in New York, the Knicks had a chance to close out their series against the Detroit Pistons but came up short in a narrow 106-103 loss. The Knicks still hold a 3-2 lead heading into Game 6.


By WafricNews Sports Desk | April 30, 2025