Western Conference Quarter Finals: Spurs sweep Nuggets, 4-0, by dominating the paint.

After three blowouts, Jokic's Nuggets couldn't survive Game 4.

This opening series was marked by interior dominance by the Spurs, as they won Game 1 97-87 and held the high-scoring Denver Nuggets under 100 points in two out of four games. Kawhi Leonard made it look too easy with 30 points on 12-17 shooting with 5 steals. Skal Labissiere had 13 points and 8 rebounds; Avery Bradley gave 12 points; Joakim Noah had 13 rebounds with 8 points. For Denver, Nikola Jokic had 17 points but fouled out with 10 rebounds. Both Jamaal Murray and Will Barton struggled to shoot well, going 4-18.

Game 2 saw the Nuggets shooting better, but falling short 105-120 on the road. Will Barton had 19 points, but Murray went just 1-6. Jokic even struggled with just 14 points and 12 rebounds. As a team, Denver cough the ball up 17 times. Patty Mills scored 20 points and 7 assists, five threes, and Rudy Gay had 15 points with 7 rebounds. Avery Bradley and Kawhi Leonard combined for 28 points. Noah looked impressive with 14 points and 8 rebounds.

In Game 3, the Nuggets seized control early but lost it by the buzzer. Dejounte Murray went 5-5 in the first quarter, including 2-2 from 3PT range with 6 assists. Leonard had two strong dunks. Pau Gasol turned back the clock with 19 points in the second quarter, impressively going 3-3 from deep. The Spurs suddenly led 63-41 at halftime, dominating the paint again for a 112-96 victory. Murray finished with 20 points and 10 assists on 9-11 shooting. Gasol stopped at 25 points; Kawhi dropped 20; Shumpert got 13, Bradley got 11 and Mills quelled the rally by Denver late. Gary Harris had 17 points in the loss for Denver, Jokic nearly fouled out again with 5 fouls on a 14pt/17reb showing. Barton and Murray went cold, again, the Nuggets committing 14 turnovers. So far, the Spurs were 60+ in paint scoring.

Game 4 was the curtain call for the young Nuggets, with Jokic finally having a nice game of 21 points, 17 rebounds with 2 steals, as the Spurs won 119-107. The Nuggets kept close before the Spurs pulled away in the fourth quarter. Paul Millsap finally had a nice game with 20 points and 11 rebounds, but too late. Will Barton had 15 and Jamaal Murray was the one in foul trouble tonight. Gary Harris went cold in this game, 1-7, after a nice game 3 showing. Meanwhile, Leonard had 25 points. Shump banged in 23 points on four 3PTers. Patty Mills had 15 points with 6 assists. Dejounte Murray had 12 points with 8 assists. Joakim Noah went 6-6 on the field for 12 points, 12 rebounds. Rudy Gay scored 11; Labissiere & Bradley combined for 14 points.