真的发生了。
丹佛掘金队在第一轮的第五场比赛中落后15分，但在两周前被迈克·康利跳投后，掘出了一个3-1的系列赛洞，在第五场和第六场面对淘汰赛的情况下，面对16分的落后——在西部半决赛的第七场比赛中与洛杉矶快船队擦肩而过。
最终结果的每一点都是惊人的，掘金队应该得到所有的荣誉。在由卡希·伦纳德和保罗·乔治主演的系列赛中，尼古拉·乔基奇是迄今为止最好的球员，贾马尔·默里的神经最为坚强。
在整个系列赛中，乔基奇场均24.4分，13.4个篮板，6.6次助攻，1.4个盖帽，51-35-83的投篮命中率。他在第七场比赛结束时拿下16分，22个篮板，13次助攻，3次盖帽和2次抢断，这期间他是全场最高的22分。
穆雷26投15中得40分（57.7%），其中20分出现在第二节，当时他的掘金队友加起来只有8分。丹佛在第二节挖了一个12分的洞，比赛开始在井喷边缘摇摆不定。多亏了穆雷的功绩，掘金队上半场以2比2落后。
道格拉斯·P·德费利斯/NBA/盖蒂图片社
加拿大人的射门让里弗斯下半场做出了冒险的调整，快船开始让穆雷在下半场开始时翻倍。这意味着乔基奇——有史以来最优秀的传球高手之一，也是他这一代人中任何位置上最好的传球手之一——在第三节以四对三的优势接球。不出所料，小丑开始挑起快船队，掘金队则大饱眼福地吃了一顿跳投比赛。丹佛的13个三分球中有6个是在第三节掘金将2分落后变成8分领先的时候，这绝非巧合。
这远非里弗斯唯一值得怀疑的决定，因为他眼看着他的另一支球队崩溃了。上半场结束时，哈雷尔、威廉姆斯和蹒跚而行的兰德里-沙梅特打开了大门，足以让穆雷和掘金突破。哈雷尔比格林多打两分钟，格林在整个系列赛中表现得更好，这是不可原谅的。在不同的时刻坚持哈雷尔和威廉姆斯，即使是在穆雷和乔基克玩弄他们的挑球和掷骰时，也让人目瞪口呆。
里弗斯作为主教练赢得了NBA总冠军，曾执教过两次NBA总决赛，并在他的球队中拥有总决赛MVP，然而，正是马龙和他的年轻掘金让自己拥有了自信老将的稳重和性格，而这些老将们以前也曾在这里。
当快船在第四节有机会证明自己，面对过去几周丹佛多次克服的困境时，他们反而自毁了。
在过去六个赛季里，里弗斯的快船队第二轮以3:1领先。北美职业体育史上持续时间最长的一次大会总决赛旱情目前已达50年之久。
迈克尔·雷维斯/NBA/盖蒂图片社
2019-20赛季快船队的崩溃和球队的喧嚣一样壮观。五十、 A.也许是NBA最响亮的球队，问问达米安·利拉德吧。如果快船完成了他们所要完成的任务，没有人会因此而责怪他们。如果他们在历史上第一次进入西部决赛的话，他们会一直说下去，我们别无选择，只能听。
相反，周二令人尴尬的失利暴露出的是，快船队的核心仍然是一群斗志昂扬的预备队，他们突然开始像有成就的冠军一样，因为伦纳德（在较小程度上，乔治）出现了。
最后，他们失败了，成了一个团队。
在季后赛的不同阶段，我都认为伦纳德是不可避免的。我们有多少次看到两届总决赛MVP以各种可以想象的方式控制比赛，当筹码下降到必须赢的情况下？当伦纳德找到那个装备时，没人能战胜他。这就是为什么他在2017年连续六次赢得季后赛系列赛冠军的情况下参加了对丹佛的比赛。
如果莱昂纳德在第七场比赛中表现出我们期待的那样的强硬、毫不畏缩的态度，那么就这样吧。即使是历史上最伟大的球员也在大赛中失去了跳投机会。记得吗，去年多伦多战胜费城的第7场比赛中，伦纳德在他的四次弹跳祈祷得到回应之前，投篮很糟糕。不同的是，当晚他投了39球，8次到罚球线上。
周二观看莱昂纳德的比赛让人不安的不仅仅是他22投6中，更重要的是他太被动了，对于一个像他这样的球员来说，在一个决定胜负的情况下，尤其是当比赛开始从快船手中溜走的时候。伦纳德在24次控球中拿下14分，尽管打出全场最高的44分钟，但他没有尝试一次罚球。他也是一场最差的负21。
乔治-洛杉矶用沙伊·吉尔吉乌斯·亚历山大、达尼洛·加利纳里和五名首轮选秀权（加上两次选秀权交换）换来的家伙，他在16投4中得10分，同时连投5次球，只录得2次助攻。他在三分球的尝试中击中篮板的一侧，每次都在罚球线上（一次）。
快船队抵押了他们的未来，然后一些人——他们直到2027年才控制自己的首轮选秀权——收购乔治，作为他们登陆伦纳德的宏伟计划的一部分。最终，随着球队赛季的临近，这对明星组合38投10中得24分。
快船卖掉这片农场是因为他们明白在季后赛中没有什么能比得上超级巨星的才华，也没有什么比现在更重要的了。在第七场比赛的第四节，他们背对着墙，看着帕特里克·贝弗利摆出姿势，他用砖块跳投，马库斯·莫里斯试图把乔基奇顶起来，而伦纳德和乔治在赛季最后12分钟的比赛中11投0中。球队在第四节的第一个外场进球是在最后一节7分钟多的时候绿色的回击。
加勒特·埃尔伍德/NBA/盖蒂图片社
当NBA历史上最不确定的一个休赛期尘埃落定，快船仍将作为联盟最大的竞争者之一进入下个赛季，所以乔治在周二晚上告诉记者，今年不是总冠军，也不是破产。不过，随着金州勇士队的回归，布鲁克林的潜在崛起，以及达拉斯队的持续增长，竞争对手的竞争将更加激烈。
正如我提醒读者的那样，雄鹿队在2019年总决赛对阵莱纳德猛龙队时崩溃了，有时候一支球队夺冠的第一个好机会最终就是它最好的机会。
另外，在NBA的一年可以感觉像是永恒，尤其是当涉及到联盟的超级明星和权力掮客的突发奇想时。任何一个认为伦纳德和乔治在下个赛季后可以选择退出合同的人都没有注意到这一点。
这个赛季对快船队来说是个灾难。如果他们明年再次失败，然后失去了伦纳德或乔治，他们牺牲了所有，以获得二人，这将是灾难性的。
目前，2020年季后赛还有两轮比赛要完成，掘金队理应成为剩下的四支球队之一。
原标题：
The Nuggets proved they belong, and the Clippers imploded
原文：
That really just happened.
The Denver Nuggets - the same team that trailed by 15 points facing elimination in Game 5 of the first round, came within a Mike Conley jumper of being bounced two weeks ago, dug a 3-1 series hole against the championship favorites, and faced 16-point deficits while facing elimination in Games 5 and 6 - just wiped the floor with the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals.
Every bit of the final result is stunning, and the Nuggets deserve all of the credit. In a series featuring Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, Nikola Jokic was by far the best player, and Jamal Murray had the steeliest nerves.
Jokic averaged 24.4 points, 13.4 rebounds, 6.6 assists, and 1.4 blocks on 51-35-83 shooting over the series. He finished Game 7 with 16 points, 22 rebounds, 13 assists, three blocks, and two steals in 40 minutes, during which he was a game-high plus-22.
Murray scored 40 points on 15-of-26 (57.7%) shooting, 20 of which came during the second quarter when his Nuggets teammates combined for just eight points. Denver dug a 12-point hole in that second period, and the game began to teeter on the edge of blowout territory. Thanks to Murray's exploits, the Nuggets entered halftime down two instead.
Douglas P. DeFelice / NBA / Getty Images
The Canadian's hot shooting convinced Doc Rivers to make a risky halftime adjustment, as the Clippers began doubling Murray to start the second half. That meant Jokic - one of the best-passing big men of all time and one of the best passers at any position of his generation - was catching the ball with a four-on-three advantage in the third quarter. The Joker predictably proceeded to pick the Clippers apart, and the Nuggets feasted on a buffet of open jumpers. It's no coincidence that six of Denver's 13 3-pointers came in that third quarter when the Nuggets turned a two-point deficit into an eight-point lead.
It was far from Rivers' only questionable decision as he watched another one of his teams implode. Closing the first half with Montrezl Harrell, Lou Williams, and a hobbled Landry Shamet opened the door just enough to allow Murray and the Nuggets to burst through it. Playing Harrell two more minutes than JaMychal Green, who proved better for this matchup all series long - was inexcusable. Sticking with Harrell and Williams at various points, even as Murray and Jokic toyed with them in pick-and-rolls, was flabbergasting.
Rivers has won an NBA championship as a head coach, has coached in two NBA Finals, and has the reigning Finals MVP on his team, yet it was Malone and his young Nuggets who carried themselves with the poise and disposition of confident veterans who've been here before.
When the Clippers had the chance to prove themselves in the fourth quarter against the same adversity Denver has overcome many times over the last few weeks, they self-destructed, instead.
For the second time in the last six seasons, Rivers' Clippers blew a 3-1 lead in the second round. The longest-running conference finals drought in North American pro sports history has now reached 50 years.
Michael Reaves / NBA / Getty Images
The collapse of the 2019-20 Clippers was as spectacular as the team was boisterous. L.A. might've been the NBA's loudest team; just ask Damian Lillard. Had the Clippers finished the task they were built to complete, no one would fault them for it. Heck, had they just gotten to the West finals for the first time in franchise history, they could have kept talking, and we'd have no choice but to listen.
Instead, what Tuesday's embarrassing defeat exposed is that at its core, this Clippers team was still mostly just a bunch of scrappy reserves who suddenly started carrying themselves like accomplished champions because Leonard (and to a lesser extent, George) showed up.
In the end, they failed and folded as a team.
At various points this postseason, I've referred to Leonard as inevitable. How many times have we seen the two-time Finals MVP take control of games in every conceivable way when the chips are down in a must-win scenario? When Leonard finds that gear, few can overcome him. That's why he entered this matchup against Denver having won six consecutive playoff series dating back to 2017.
Had Leonard approached Game 7 with the same forceful, undeterred demeanor we've come to expect from him and simply missed shots, so be it. Even all-time greats have lost their jumper in big games. Remember, Leonard shot the ball poorly before his four-bounce prayer was answered in Toronto's Game 7 win over Philly last year, too. The difference was that he took 39 shots that night and got to the free-throw line eight times.
What was so jarring about watching Leonard on Tuesday wasn't just that he went 6-of-22 from the field; it's that he was far too passive for a player of his caliber in a do-or-die situation, especially as the game began to slip out of the Clippers' grasp. Leonard finished with 14 points on 24 possessions and didn't attempt a single free throw despite playing a game-high 44 minutes. He was also a game-worst minus-21.
George - the guy for whom Los Angeles traded Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, and five first-round draft picks (plus two pick swaps) - scored 10 points on 4-of-16 shooting while turning the ball over five times and recording just two assists. He hit the side of the backboard on 3-point attempts as often as he got to the free-throw line (once).
The Clippers mortgaged their future, and then some - they don't control their own first-round pick until 2027 - to acquire George as part of their grand plan to land Leonard. In the end, with the team's season on the line, the star duo combined for 24 points on 10-of-38 shooting.
The Clippers sold the farm with the understanding that nothing compares to superstar talent in the playoffs, and nothing is bigger than the here and now. With their backs against the wall in the fourth quarter of Game 7, they watched Patrick Beverley hold his pose as he bricked jumpers and Marcus Morris try to post up Jokic while Leonard and George combined to go 0-for-11 over the final 12 minutes of their season. The team's first field goal of the fourth quarter came on a Green putback more than seven minutes into that final period.
Garrett Ellwood / NBA / Getty Images
When the dust settles on one of the most uncertain offseasons in NBA history, the Clippers will still enter next season as one of the league's top contenders, so George had a point when he told reporters Tuesday night that this year wasn't championship or bust. But the field of contenders should deepen with Golden State's return, Brooklyn's potential rise, and Dallas' continued growth, just to name a few.
As I reminded readers when the Bucks collapsed in the 2019 conference finals against Leonard's Raptors, sometimes a team's first good chance at a title ends up being its best chance.
Plus, a year in the NBA can feel like an eternity, especially when it comes to the whims of the league's superstars and power brokers. And anyone who assumes Leonard and George are guaranteed to stay put when they can opt out of their contracts after next season hasn't been paying attention.
This season was a disaster for the Clippers. If they fall short again next year and then lose one of Leonard or George after all that they sacrificed to acquire the duo, it will be cataclysmic.
For now, there are still two rounds of the 2020 playoffs to complete, and the Nuggets deserve to be one of four teams left standing.
