Sakmann News, Entertainment and Sports
SNES Blog Network
The Denver Nuggets stunned the Oklahoma City Thunder in the final seconds of Game 1, with Aaron Gordon hitting a game-winning three-pointer following two misses at the free throw line […]
The Denver Nuggets stunned the Oklahoma City Thunder in the final seconds of Game 1, with Aaron Gordon hitting a game-winning three-pointer following two misses at the free throw line by Chet Holmgren for a 121-119 victory.
But Game 2 belonged to the Thunder, from nearly buzzer-to-buzzer.
The Thunder jumped out to a 20-9 lead to start the game: shooting 7-of-11 on their first eleven field goal attempts, while the Nuggets hit a measly 2-of-10 shots to start the game. The Thunder built that lead to 25-11, forcing a Nuggets timeout with 4:32 left in the first quarter. Oklahoma City already had six players with three points or more, as the Nuggets struggled to find any offense at all: only Aaron Gordon, Jamal Murray, and Nikola Jokic had scored from the field so far.
An 8-2 run on the floor and a Shai Gilgeous-Alexander free throw later off a Russell Westbrook technical foul, and it’s 34-13 Thunder.
At the next timeout, the score was 40-16, following a Westbrook turnover and Thunder successful transition bucket. Absolutely everything was going Oklahoma City’s way.
The Thunder led 45-21 at the end of the first quarter, shooting 71% from the field and hitting five three-pointers: Denver shot 35% from the field and hit two three-pointers. Gilgeous-Alexander led the charge with 13 points, 5 assists, and 2 rebounds for Oklahoma City.
The second quarter didn’t get any easier, as the Thunder continued to have their way with the Nuggets on both offense and defense. Back-to-back three-pointers from Cason Wallace on the offensive end (with a pair of Jalen Williams free throws sandwiched in-between) put the Thunder are up 57-30. The Nuggets’ offense, and defense, are nowhere to be found,
The Nuggets almost ended the second quarter on a 7-1 run, but the game was already all but over: Oklahoma City was getting whatever they wanted, however they wanted.
After a foul on Holmgren was deemed to have occurred before the halftime buzzer, the big man nailed both free throws to give the Thunder 87 points in the first half: the most in any half in NBA history. Oklahoma City led 87-56.
Jokic and Westbrook led the Nuggets with 15 points apiece at the half, but Jokic wasn’t doing it with his usual efficiency: 5-of-12 from the field, two turnovers, and a -26 court rating.
Meanwhile, six Thunder players were in double figures at the half, and 10 players had scored. The Thunder shot 59% from the field in the first half including 10-of-23 from downtown. The Nuggets heated up from three-point range in the second quarter, bringing their total to 8-of-20, but their overall shooting percentage was a paltry 39.5%.
The second half was more of the same, with the Thunder adding 12 more points to their lead overall and winning the game with ease 149-106. The Nuggets mounted no comeback, as Oklahoma City kept their foot on the gas.
All fourteen Thunder players scored by the game’s end. and twelve players scored for Denver as well as the benches were emptied late in the game.
Giligeous-Alexander played just 30 minutes but had a historic night, with 34 points on a hyper-efficient 11-of-13 shooting, and a +51 court rating: the highest court rating in NBA playoff history.
No Nuggets player scored over 20 points: Jokic had 17 points on a poor 6-of-16 shooting night, and Russell Westbrook had 19 points off the bench, as the team’s leading scorer.
The second round series quickly shifts back to Denver on Friday night for Game, 3, with the series tied 1-1. Anything is possible over these next two games: the Nuggets could return to Oklahoma City for Game 5 with a 3-1 series lead, the series could be tied 2-2, or if the Thunder keep playing like they did last night, they could steal a 3-1 series lead with two road wins at Ball Arena.
Header Photo Credit: ESPN
Be sure to follow Sak Sports Blog on Twitter/X or on Facebook for more!
Sakmann News, Entertainment and Sports 