The Nuggets are approaching Game 6 differently after last year’s blowout

The Denver Nuggets put together one of their best games in a long time on Tuesday night in a 131-115 victory over the LA Clippers in Game 5 of the Western Conference First Round. Jamal Murray became the first player in NBA history to score at least 40 points while shooting only one free throw as the Nuggets seized control of the series in a wire-to-wire victory that had Ball Arena on its feet all night long.

Sound familiar?

Rewind to the 2024 Western Conference Semifinals, when Nikola Jokic received his third MVP trophy ahead of Game 5 with the series at 2-2. He proceeded to have one of the best games of his career, a 40/7/13 performance in a 112-97 victory that had Ball Arena at its loudest.

With a chance to close that series out in six games on the road at Minnesota, the Nuggets turned around and lost by 45 in the franchise’s worst playoff lost since 1985 (153-109 against the Los Angeles Lakers). They then followed that up by blowing a 20-point lead in Game 7 at home as the Timberwolves advanced to the Western Conference Finals.

With a 3-2 lead once again this year, the Nuggets are trying to rewrite the script to avoid the embarrassment of 2024.

“Closing out the series is the hardest thing to do in the NBA,” Michael Porter Jr. said after the win on Tuesday. “Teams are playing with desperation, their season’s on the line, coaches are going to try anything they can. So, we know how important it is, especially when you’re in your opponents home court.”

Interim head coach David Adelman was also on the sideline for Denver’s collapse a season ago. While he wasn’t calling the shots, he was still able to take note of what went wrong, and knows how Denver needs to look at the end of the series this year.

“You have to have extreme honesty in these playoff series,” Adelman said. “Because the next game is going to be its own thing, and all you can control is how you can get better. Just a little bit better competitively, schematically, and stay together, and give yourself the best opportunity to win a fourth game.”

Aaron Gordon also spoke on the challenges of closing a series, and spoke on the talent that the Clippers have on their roster.

“Incredibly difficult, especially with two Hall of Fame players, guys that have been doing it before, veterans,” Gordon said. “Savvy veterans and a really savvy coach. It’s a difficult task, but we like challenges.”

Whether or not the Nuggets will be up to the challenge will be answered at 8 p.m. Denver time on Thursday as the Nuggets take the floor for Game 6 in the Inutit Dome.

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