Denver Nuggets Surge Past Clippers 131-115, Seize Series Lead as Jamal Murray Shines

Murray and Jokic Power Denver to Pivotal Game 5 Victory

The Denver Nuggets made the kind of statement that keeps coaches and fans awake at night—unless you’re from Denver. The Nuggets grabbed the lead early and never let go, steamrolling the Los Angeles Clippers 131-115 in Game 5 on April 29, 2025. This puts Denver up 3-2 in a tense first-round playoff series and just a step away from advancing.

You couldn’t ignore Jamal Murray if you tried. He played like he was on another planet, racking up a dazzling 43 points with 8 three-pointers and tossing out 7 assists for good measure. That’s the sixth time he’s hit 40 or more in a playoff game—a number no Nugget has ever matched in the postseason. The Clippers just couldn’t cool him down. Every time the game seemed to settle, he’d light it up again, pumping energy back into Denver’s sold-out arena.

It wasn’t all Murray show, though. Nikola Jokić, Denver’s MVP center, added his own flavor—a triple-double with 13 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists. It was his 21st postseason triple-double and already the third of this series. He found ways to create chaos in the Clippers’ defense without dominating the scoring. Instead, his passing and vision set up easy buckets for Aaron Gordon, Michael Porter Jr., and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, helping Denver stack up points while keeping L.A. spinning in circles.

Clippers Fight Back, but Denver’s Depth Holds Strong

Give credit to the Clippers: they didn’t roll over. Ivica Zubac played like a man with something to prove, finishing with a playoff career-best 27 points. The Nuggets struggled to contain him in the paint on several possessions. Kawhi Leonard found his rhythm as a facilitator, notching a career-playoff-high 11 assists along with 20 points and 9 rebounds. That’s the kind of stat line that usually spells trouble for the opponent.

James Harden etched another mark in playoff history, slipping past Robert Horry and tying Clyde Drexler for 12th all-time in postseason steals. Still, his veteran leadership just wasn’t enough to help the Clippers claw back. Too often, L.A.’s offense bogged down in isolation plays, and their defense couldn’t build momentum against Denver’s movement and extra passes.

The first quarter set the tone. Denver offense hit the gas right away, outpacing L.A. 35-23 as Aaron Gordon powered to the basket and Murray pounced on every soft spot in the Clippers’ coverage. L.A. chipped away here and there—Harden drew fouls, and Norman Powell made a few jumpers—but every mini-run brought a counterpunch. By halftime, Denver still kept its foot on L.A.'s neck.

The second half was even rougher for the Clippers. Denver poured it on, stretching the lead behind a flurry of quick passes, catch-and-shoot threes, and downhill attacks. The Nuggets outscored the Clippers by 13 across the last two quarters. By the time the benches cleared, fans in Denver already looked ahead to Game 6 and a possible closeout on the road.

The series now heads back to Los Angeles for Game 6 on May 1. The Clippers are staring at elimination, and Denver comes into enemy territory looking to finish the job. With Murray firing on all cylinders and Jokic running the show, the Nuggets have a good shot at punching their ticket to the next round.