INGLEWOOD, Calif. — A year ago in Minnesota, the Nuggets squandered their chance to close out a playoff series with a convincing absence of urgency. They lost by 45. They tempted fate, and fate crushed them in Game 7 back home.

James Harden recorded 28 points, eight assists and six rebounds and the Los Angeles Clippers remained alive in their first-round series with the Denver Nuggets, winning 111-105 on Thursday night in Inglewood,

James Harden managed only 11 points on 3-of-9 shooting and finished a team-worst minus-16 on a night when the NBA's third-best regular-season defense got carved up by Denver's 29 assists on 48 made baskets and 55.8% shooting, including 17-of-33 on 3-pointers (51.5%).