Thunder Thrash Nuggets to Even Western Conference Semifinal Series
In a stunning display of dominance, the Oklahoma City Thunder trounced the Denver Nuggets 149-106 on Wednesday night, tying the Western Conference semifinal series at one game apiece. The Thunder’s star player, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, scored 34 points in just three quarters, leading his team to a record-breaking performance.
According to ESPN, the Thunder set an NBA playoff record for first-half points with 87, surpassing the 86 scored by the Cleveland Cavaliers against the Golden State Warriors in Game 4 of the NBA Finals on June 9, 2017. Chet Holmgren sealed the record with a pair of free throws with one second remaining in the second quarter, giving the Thunder an 87-56 lead. This impressive feat also tied the record for points in any half of a playoff game, a record previously set by Milwaukee with 87 points in the second half against Denver on April 23, 1978.
The top-seeded Thunder were determined to avoid taking a 2-0 deficit on the road, and they showed it in their performance. As ESPN reported, Gilgeous-Alexander made 11 of 13 field goals, all 11 of his free throws, and had eight assists, leading eight players who scored in double figures. Thunder coach Mark Daigneault praised Gilgeous-Alexander’s all-around performance, saying, "He made them pay when they overhelped on him. He had the ball ahead of them all night, so he got his teammates shots, too. It wasn’t just a one-man show. He was super efficient. I mean, he had an unbelievable blend tonight."
In contrast, Denver’s Nikola Jokic, who had 42 points and 22 rebounds in Game 1, was limited to just 17 points and eight rebounds before fouling out late in the third quarter. Russell Westbrook, who played for the Thunder before joining the Nuggets, led Denver with 19 points but was booed by the Oklahoma City crowd and received a technical foul early in the game.
The Thunder’s dominance was evident from the start, with the team leading 45-21 at the end of the first quarter after shooting 71.4% from the field and setting a team record for points in a quarter in a playoff game. As ESPN noted, Denver interim coach David Adelman acknowledged his team’s poor performance, saying, "We got punked, and we didn’t play well enough and they came out with the right intensity. We didn’t."
The Thunder continued to dominate in the second quarter, with Gilgeous-Alexander’s lob to Jalen Williams for a two-handed jam giving Oklahoma City a 78-43 lead. By the end of the third quarter, the Thunder had extended their lead to 124-76, with the largest lead being 49 points.
Despite the convincing win, Adelman refused to minimize the loss, saying, "I’m not sitting here tonight talking about the 1-1 thing tonight. Not tonight. We’re not going to flush that. We’ve got to be better. We know that. That being said, it’s nice to know that you got a win underneath your belt." The series now shifts to Denver, with Game 3 set to take place on Friday.
As ESPN reported, Gilgeous-Alexander attributed his team’s success to their desperation and focus, saying, "We knew what was at stake tonight. We came out desperate. We wanted to just take care and control the things that we knew we could. And we did a pretty good job of that, specifically to start the game. The start carried us through the rest of the night." With this impressive win, the Thunder have sent a strong message to the Nuggets and the rest of the league, showcasing their potential to make a deep playoff run.
