The
Oklahoma City Thunder are one win away from the Western Conference Finals after a clutch 112-105 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday night. Led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 31-point performance, the Thunder now hold a 3-2 series lead in their Western Conference semifinal matchup.
Despite a monster night from Nikola Jokic, who tallied 44 points and 15 rebounds, the defending champion Nuggets couldn’t contain Oklahoma City’s late-game execution. The Thunder can close out the series in Game 6 on Thursday night in Denver.
Gilgeous-Alexander Rises in the Moment
After a slow start,
Gilgeous-Alexander finished 12-of-23 from the field and led six Thunder players in double figures, showcasing his ability to take over when it mattered most.
“What the great players do is they rise in the face of challenges,” said Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault. “He got cooler as the pressure mounted and just let the game come to him.”
Nuggets Can’t Capitalize on Jokic’s Big Night
Jokic, the reigning NBA MVP, was nearly unstoppable, hitting 17-of-25 shots, including a deep fadeaway three to tie the game at 103 late in the fourth quarter. Jamal Murray added 28 points, but was inefficient, going 10-of-27 from the field.
“This is a really disappointing loss,” said
Denver interim coach David Adelman. “We had our chances, but didn’t finish. Now we have to bounce back fast.”
Denver’s supporting cast struggled — no other Nugget scored more than 13 points — and the team shot just
9-of-30 from beyond the arc.
Thunder’s Late Surge Seals the Deal
The Thunder started hot with a 12-2 run, but Denver responded to take an 11-point lead in the second quarter before OKC trimmed it to 56-54 by halftime.
In the third quarter, Murray and Jokic helped Denver build an 86-78 advantage, but Lu Dort — who had only three points through three quarters — drilled three clutch 3-pointers in a two-minute span to ignite Oklahoma City in the fourth.
With the game tied at 103, Jalen Williams knocked down a critical triple with 1:18 left, and Gilgeous-Alexander followed with another from deep to give OKC a commanding 109-103 lead.
“I thought we executed as well as we have in the playoffs down the stretch,” Daigneault said.
What’s Next?
The Thunder will look to close out the series in Game 6 on Thursday in Denver. A win would send Oklahoma City to its first Western Conference
Finals appearance since 2016 and signal the official arrival of its young core as title contenders.
