Utah Jazz Eliminated From NBA Playoffs By Denver Nuggets In Game Seven Loss

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Denver Nuggets eliminated the Utah Jazz from the NBA Playoffs with a win in game seven to clinch the first-round best-of-seven series four games to three.

The Jazz fell to the Nuggets 80-78 in Game 7 on Tuesday, September 1.

After trailing by 14 points at halftime, the Jazz responded in the third quarter to make it a two possession game entering the final 12 minutes.

With less than 17.4 seconds remaining and the Nuggets owning a two-point lead, Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell received an inbound pass and went to attack Denver’s defense. Nuggets guard Gary Harris poked the ball away from Mitchell and the Denver went the other way.

Utah’s defensive forced a missed layup by Torrey Craig with 4.4 seconds left on the clock. Jazz guard Mike Conley rose up for the potential series-winning basket on a 26-foot three that rimmed out at the final buzzer sounded.

The THRILLING FINISH to Game 7!@nuggets win the series 4-3 and advance to play the Clippers in the West semis! #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/6AkuYn9EaV

— NBA (@NBA) September 2, 2020

“Honestly, I felt very good about,” Conley said of his potential game-winner. “I thought for sure it was going in.”

Back-and-Forth

After falling in overtime 135-125 to Denver in Game 1 of the series, Utah responded with three straight victories to take a 3-1 series lead.

Following three straight losses, Denver responded with three consecutive victories of their own and won the series 4-3 with a Game 7 victory.

what a series. pic.twitter.com/COcJpk1P30

— utahjazz (@utahjazz) September 2, 2020

“Just devastated really,” Jazzman Joe Ingles said after the loss.

With the loss, the Jazz failed to advance to the Western Conference Semifinals for the second straight postseason.

The Jazz reached the second round of the postseason in the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons but fell to the Houston Rockets in five games last season.

Prior to the NBA Playoffs, the No. 6 seed Jazz finished the regular season with a 44-28 record.

Mike Conley misses a good look from three that would have won the series for the Jazz and they are eliminated in game seven by the Denver Nuggets.

Great series.

Jazz lose 80-78.

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) September 2, 2020

First Round Results

Game 1: Denver won 135-125 OT

Game 2: Utah won 124-105

Game 3: Utah won 124-87

Game 4: Utah won 129-127

Game 5: Denver won 117-107

Game 6: Denver won 119-107

Game 7: Denver won 80-78

good luck in the next round, @nuggets pic.twitter.com/GR9OaiZp5M

— utahjazz (@utahjazz) September 2, 2020

The Nuggets will face the No. 2 seed Los Angeles Clippers in the Western Conference Semifinals.

The No. 2 seed Clippers defeated the No. 7 seed Mavericks 4-2 in the first round.

Utah will leave the NBA bubble in Florida and return to Salt Lake City.