NBA Playoffs: Clippers Crush Nuggets to Force Game 7 Showdown in Playoff Battle

The closely contested match was influenced by a significant third quarter performance from the Clippers, who outscored the Nuggets 32-22, establishing a double-digit advantage that reached 15 points with under six minutes left in the game.

Although Denver mounted a comeback, narrowing the deficit to five points in the final minute, the Clippers maintained their composure to prepare for the decisive match on Saturday.

"It was win or go home - and we didn't want to go home," Clippers star Harden said.

"We've got one more game in a couple of days. We've got to be better. Still a lot of mental mistakes, still a lot of execution that we can get better at. But we've got to go out there and take it."

Denver interim head coach David Adelman pinpointed the third quarter as the moment the game swung away from his team.

"We got sped up, we didn't handle it - we played defense but we never could come up with the 50-50 ball. That quarter absolutely killed us," Adelman said.

"We played a really good fourth quarter, but we've got to be better throughout the whole game."

Nikola Jokic led Denver with 25 points while Jamal Murray finished with 21 points, eight rebounds and eight assists.