Thunder Defeats Nuggets in Thrilling Duel
OKLAHOMA CITY – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shined with 31 points, leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 112-105 victory over the Denver Nuggets this Tuesday night. With this result, the Thunder take a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference semifinals series.Despite Nikola Jokic’s impressive performance for the Nuggets, who scored 44 points and 15 rebounds, Oklahoma City managed to secure the victory. The Thunder now have the opportunity to close out the series on Thursday in Denver.
Gilgeous-Alexander, with an outstanding 12 of 23 in field goals, also added seven assists. He was the leader of six Thunder players who reached double figures in scoring.Jokic, for his part, scored 17 of 25 shots. Denver’s Jamal Murray contributed 28 points, although with an efficiency of 10 of 27 in shots. No other Denver player surpassed 13 points.
Oklahoma City started strong, with a 12-2 lead, recalling their resounding victory in Game 2. Denver had initial difficulties, hitting only one of their first nine shots.
Denver reacted and took an 11-point lead in the second quarter, but Oklahoma City closed strong, going into halftime with a 56-54 deficit. Jokic had already accumulated 19 points and nine rebounds before halftime.
Denver took control at the start of the third quarter. Murray scored 13 points in the period and Jokic added 12, allowing the Nuggets to enter the final quarter with an 86-78 lead.
Oklahoma City’s Lu Dort, who had scored only three points in the first three quarters, hit three three-pointers in a two-minute span, cutting Denver’s lead to 92-90 midway through the fourth.
Jokic tied the game at 103 with a three-pointer, but Oklahoma City closed out the game strong.
A Jalen Williams three-pointer with 1:18 remaining gave the Thunder a 106-103 lead, and a Gilgeous-Alexander three-pointer with 48 seconds left to play extended Oklahoma City’s lead to six points.
The Thunder have proven to be a resilient team, with a record of 20-10 when they have been losing by 10 or more points this season, including the regular season and the playoffs. This win percentage of .667 is the best for any team in a season when it has been losing by 10 or more points since at least 1997-98.
