Clippers blow 3–1 lead to Denver Nuggets in 2020 playoffs (bubble)

The 2020 Western Conference semifinals, played in the NBA bubble in Orlando, featured the Los Angeles Clippers holding a 3–1 lead over the Denver Nuggets after four games. In Game 6 the Nuggets forced a Game 7 and then won the decisive contest on September 15, 2020 by a 104–89 margin, completing a comeback from 3–1 down—the first time in NBA playoff history that a team overcame multiple 3–1 deficits in the same postseason (Denver had also come back against Utah earlier in the 2020 playoffs) [13][6]. The series was defined by late-series adjustments by Denver, the Nuggets' use of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray in tandem, and the Clippers' inability to consistently close games despite the high-profile pairing of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. Game 7's final margin reflected Denver's offensive execution and defensive stops in the second half; the result ended the Clippers' best single-postseason opportunity to meet the Lakers in a Western Conference matchup that year [13][6].

The loss is frequently invoked in Clippers franchise histories because it represented a clear missed opportunity: the Clippers had constructed a roster designed to make deep playoff runs, and surrendering a 3–1 series advantage in a must-win environment raised questions about roster construction, coaching adjustments and the team's capacity to close high-leverage series. For the broader Lakers–Clippers rivalry the Clippers' early exit meant the two L.A. franchises did not meet in the 2020 playoffs, postponing what would have been a high-profile intra-city postseason series and affecting narratives of comparative success for that season [13][6].

The defeat produced immediate roster and personnel scrutiny for the Clippers, with media and fan conversation focusing on free-agent decisions and future team-building strategies. In subsequent offseasons the Clippers continued to pursue roster modifications intended to address perceived deficiencies revealed in the 2020 collapse, and the loss remained a reference point in evaluations of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George's tenure in Los Angeles [13][6].