The Denver Nuggets became the first NBA side to recover from 3-1 down twice in the same play-offs by beating the Los Angeles Clippers in game seven to reach the Western Conference finals.
Jamal Murray scored 40 points as the Nuggets won 104-89 on Tuesday to complete another stunning turnaround.
“We just believe in each other,” said 23-year-old Canadian Murray.
The Miami Heat edged the Boston Celtics 117-114 in game one of the Eastern Conference finals.
Jimmy Butler scored the winning basket with 12 seconds remaining but Bam Adebayo’s block from Jayson Tatum’s attempt to tie the score with 3.7 seconds left proved crucial.
“He made a great play,” Tatum said of Adebayo’s block. “That’s all it is. He made a good play, can’t do anything about it.”
Butler added: “That sealed the game for us. [Adebayo is] a huge part to why we’re winning. I’ve been saying it all year long and I’ll repeat it again.”
The Nuggets needed seven games to beat the Utah Jazz after trailing their series 3-1 in the last round and have repeated their success against the Clippers.
Speaking at Disney World in Orlando – where games are taking place in the coronavirus quarantine bubble – Nikola Jokic, who scored 34 points in game six to help force the decider, said the Nuggets are “a special group”.
The Clippers have never advanced to the conference final in their 50-year history.
