With the series tied at 1-1, tensions were high going into tonight’s showdown between the Denver Nuggets and Oklahoma City Thunder. With home court advantage at the Ball Arena, the Nuggets felt confident in a victory to take control of the series, but they knew it would not come easily.
It was a competitive game from start to finish, with both teams trading baskets until the fourth quarter. With a narrow five-point lead at halftime, the Thunder were on track to win this game on the road, and they even had a lead down the stretch of the fourth quarter. Unfortunately for Oklahoma City, however, it still wasn’t enough to secure the win at home, and now the Nuggets are leading the series 2-1.
Jamal Murray was the leading scorer for the Nuggets with 27 points, four rebounds, and eight assists on 47.4% shooting. Nikola Jokic was second in scoring with 20 points, 16 rebounds, and six assists, while veteran big man Aaron Gordon finished with 22 points, eight rebounds, and five assists on 63.6% shooting.
For the Thunder, Jalen Williams was their leading scorer with 32 points, three rebounds, and five assists on 52.4% shooting. Chet Holmgren dropped 18 points, 16 rebounds, and three blocks while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander totaled 18 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists on 31.8% shooting.
In such a pivotal playoff game, it’s no surprise that both teams were giving their maximum effort, but only Denver came out with the win. After narrowly beating the Los Angeles Clippers in round one, they are two wins away from the Western Finals thanks to several big players and key factors that gave them the edge in Denver.
Best Starting Five In The NBA
Nikola Jokic was having a pretty rough shooting game by his standards, but it hardly mattered when his teammates were ready to pick up the slack. Between all five starters, four scored at least 20 points while Aaron Gordon and Michael Porter Jr. combined to hit nine of twelve three-pointers.
As a team, the Nuggets shot 45.9% from the field tonight thanks to a free-flowing offense that got everyone involved. With heavy minutes for the starters, they all stepped up to play their role, including Jamal Murray, who had one of his best games of the entire post-season with 27 points, four rebounds, and eight assists on 47.4% shooting.
With a mixture of depth, size, and defensive versatility, the Nuggets’ core five is right up there with the best in the NBA, and they’ve been together long enough to develop some serious chemistry. So even on a night when Jokic isn’t shooting well, the Nuggets can still keep their offense under a different player instead.
Stagnant Thunder Offense
The Thunder scored 149 points in the blowout win on Wednesday, but they struggled to replicate the performance in hostile territory. In fact, the Thunder had one of their worst offensive performances of the entire playoffs so far with just 104 points on 38.5% shooting and 25.7% shooting from three.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was especially brutal in this game, and his refusal to cut the isolation hero ball cost his team down the stretch. With just 18 points on 31.8% shooting, SGA was not his usual MVP self, and his team didn’t know how to adjust when his shot continued not to fall.
Between ill-advised shots and a lack of team play offensively, the Thunder lost their way in this game, and the fans were less than pleased with their performance. The only hope for improvement going forward is if the Thunder (specifically SGA) make it a point to find better shots and get others more involved throughout the game.
Nuggets Pull Away In The Clutch
Game 3 went back and forth for a while, eventually leading to overtime for the first time in the series. In that final stretch, the Thunder were outscored 11-2 by the Nuggets, essentially sealing their fate and dropping their second loss of the playoffs so far.
Completely gassed and out of options, the Thunder panicked down the stretch and were unable to respond as the Nuggets began to pull away. Without a proper closer on the floor, OKC struggled to play under pressure, and they just don’t have enough experience to find the right solution.
In the end, the Thunder just couldn’t make a play when it mattered the most, and it seems their youth and inexperience could be at least part of the reason. With a playoff win on the line, we saw how the Nuggets responded and rallied behind their leader. As good as the Thunder are, they lack a reliable scorer who can deliver in the times when even Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is struggling to shoot.
While the series is far from over, the Nuggets have all the momentum going into Game 4. Nikola Jokic has been the best player in the series so far, and the difference in playoff experience has been a major advantage for Denver. If they can achieve victory in Game 4 on Sunday and go up 3-1 in the series, it will go a long way toward winning the series and cementing a path to the Western Conference Finals.
