United States – Nikola Jokic delivered another masterful performance, but the Oklahoma City Thunder pulled off an epic comeback to defeat the Denver Nuggets with a score of 112-105, moving closer to the Western Conference Finals (3-2).
The thrilling match, which kept fans on the edge of their seats, now moves to Denver for the sixth game, scheduled for this Thursday.
Jokic Shines, But the Thunder Resist
Jokic, known for his excellence on the court, displayed an impressive game with 44 points, showing amazing effectiveness: 17 of 25 in field goals, including 5 of 7 three-pointers, and a perfect 5 of 5 from the free throw line. In addition, he grabbed 15 rebounds and dished out 5 assists, playing 44 minutes.
Jamal Murray also stood out with 28 points, but the Nuggets couldn’t hold a +9 lead in the final quarter, where their performance was affected by a 34-19 run against them.
David Adelman’s team struggled, going a poor 5-of-21 from the field and 1-of-12 from three-point range in the final twelve minutes.
Shai-Gilgeous Alexander Leads the Thunder’s Charge
Shai-Gilgeous Alexander, considered a strong contender to succeed Jokic as MVP, led the Thunder with 31 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists, scoring 10 crucial points in the final quarter.
Other local players also contributed significantly, including Jalen Williams (18 points and 9 rebounds), Isaiah Hartenstein (15 points and 7 rebounds), Chet Holmgren (14 points and 8 rebounds), Lu Dort (12 points with 4 three-pointers) and Alex Caruso (13 points).
Although the Thunder lost the battle for rebounds (49 for the Nuggets versus 43), they made the difference with their three-pointers (12 of 29 versus 13 of 46 for Denver).
A Match Full of Changes
The first quarter was a reflection of the intensity of the series, with the Thunder initially taking the lead, but the Nuggets responding to close the period with a slight advantage (27-28).
Jokic demonstrated his dominance with 19 points and 9 rebounds in the first half, while the Nuggets managed to have an +11 lead in the second quarter, but the Thunder managed to get closer to the score before halftime (54-56).
Denver dominated the boards (27 to 17) in the first half, but turned the ball over 10 times.
In the resumption, Murray elevated the visitors’ performance with 13 points in four minutes, boosting the Nuggets (68-80 with 5:07 on the clock).
Dort, despite a discreet defensive performance, ignited Oklahoma’s comeback with three key three-pointers (90-92 with 6:19 remaining).
Shai took control, scoring important baskets and leading the Thunder to victory.
