LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The Nuggets started their season by talking about winning a championship way back in training camp, knowing very well that few would believe in their chances.

The doubters fueled them then.

The doubters still fuel them now — even though they’re one win from the Western Conference finals. Game 7 awaits the third-seeded Nuggets and second-seeded Clippers on Tuesday night, with the winner headed to the West title series against the top-seeded Lakers.

“Everybody can’t wait for the L.A. Western Conference finals,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said Monday. “But there’s a little city in Colorado called Denver, and we’re trying to do our part to make some noise and further cement our position in the Western Conference and NBA hierarchy because we feel we belong.”

It’s tough to argue. The Nuggets were down 3-1 to the Jazz in the first round and advanced; they were down 3-1 to the Clippers this series and are still at Walt Disney World, now 5-0 in elimination games so far this season. Win Tuesday, and they’ll become the first team in NBA history to successfully erase a pair of 3-1 deficits in the same season — or the same decade, even.

The Clippers have never been to the conference finals; they’ve had seven chances to get there in their franchise history, going 0-7 in those games.

A year ago, Kawhi Leonard hit the first buzzer-beating, game-winning Game 7 shot in NBA history, lifting the Raptors past the 76ers and into the East finals — on their way to winning the title.

The Clippers hope history repeats itself, starting Tuesday.

“Oh, he’s unshakable,” Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. “Kawhi, you can’t guarantee he’ll play well or not because he’s human and all players are. But you know the moment won’t be too big. ... So, that’s comforting.”

There are two games Tuesday; the Heat take on the Celtics in Game 1 of the East finals.