Nuggets stun choking Clippers

Denver's dynamic duo of Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic led another stunning turnaround as the Nuggets advanced to the Western Conference finals for the first time since 2009.

Murray scored 40 points, Jokic had a triple-double by the third quarter and Denver again overcame a double-digit deficit to shock the Los Angeles Clippers 104-89 in Tuesday's Game 7.

The Nuggets became the first team in NBA history to fight back from a 3-1 series deficit twice in the same postseason, and are the third team in US major pro sports to rally from a pair of 3-1 deficits in the same playoffs, joining baseball's 1985 Kansas City Royals and hockey's 2003 Minnesota Wild. Denver will face the Los Angeles Lakers in the conference finals.

The 7-foot (2.13-meter) Jokic had a monster game with 16 points, 13 assists and 22 rebounds, which were the most by a Nuggets player in an NBA playoff game. He broke his record of 19 that he set last season and shared with Marcus Camby.

Despite the additions of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, the Clippers again fell short of the conference finals, where they've never been.

Leonard finished with 14 points on 6-of-22 shooting, while George had 10 points on 4-of-16 shooting.

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