Jokic Ignites Nuggets’ Comeback, But Can They Finally Break Thunder’s Hold in Game 7?
There’s something about a basketball game that goes down to the wire — that edge-of-your-seat, hold-your-breath kinda intensity. And last night’s showdown between the Denver Nuggets and Oklahoma City Thunder? Well, it had all the makings of playoff drama at its finest. Nikola Jokic was nothing short of a powerhouse, driving the Nuggets to a gritty 119-107 victory and pushing this Western Conference semi-final series all the way to a nail-biting Game 7. Denver looked beaten down, trailing 3-2 after blowing leads in the previous two contests, but their halftime regroup fueled a stunning comeback. With Jamal Murray battling through sickness to drop 25 points and Christian Braun anchoring the boards, this squad’s resilience shone through. Meanwhile, OKC’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander kept his team’s hopes alive with 32 points, but ultimately, the spoils went to those who refused to quit. Now, the coast is set for Sunday’s winner-takes-all clash in Oklahoma City — and if you ask me, this is the kind of epic that’ll echo through NBA playoff lore for years. LEARN MORE.
The Nuggets needed a seventh game to eliminate the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round.Getty Images
“To win that [fourth] quarter, after what’s happened the last two games, says a lot of our guys and the fact that they can bounce back from anything – I keep saying that,” said Denver interim coach David Adelman. “We just keep finding our way.”Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 32 points for the Thunder, who ended the regular season top of the Western Conference with a 68-14 record.Denver headed into Thursday’s match 3-2 down in the series after squandering late leads in games five and six, but fought back after half-time to earn a trip to Oklahoma City for Game seven on Sunday, 18 May at 14:30 local time (20:30 BST).Jamal Murray shook off an illness to produce 25 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, while Christian Braun added 23 points and 11 rebounds, and Julian Strawther came off the bench to score 15 points, his postseason career high.The Minnesota Timberwolves await either Denver or Oklahoma City in the Western Conference final – last year they defeated the Nuggets in game seven of the Western Conference semi-finals.Chet Holmgren wound up with 19 points and 11 rebounds, and Luguentz Dort, Alex Caruso and Cason Wallace scored 10 points apiece.
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