Nuggets 93 vs 125 Thunder Game 7 summary, scores and highlights | NBA Playoffs
After a long, tough, physical series between two great teams and two of the best players on the planet, SGA and Jokic met after the game and exchanged a hand shake and a hug. Class from both of these guys who have been role models on and off the court.
This game was long gone by the time the fouth quarter started and coach Adleman waved the white flag with allowed the Thunders starters to enjoy the last few minutes from the bench. This is a team that was built to win a title. They have the Wolves next and either the Knicks or the Pacers if they get past Minnesota.
After a 35 point performance SGA is taking his team to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2016. There are three seeds or lower left, and they will all be gunning to take down the best team in the NBA during the regular season. Timberwolves vs. Thunder. Game 1 is Tuesday and 8:30 p.m. ET.
Alex Caruso was the unsung hero of the series. The guy the OKC youngsters call Unc brought it for all seven games. His defense was incredible. He was a pest all series. He even helped out on defense with Jokic and did a pretty good job containing the Serbian.
SGA and Williams showed up in Game 7, but we talked about how the other guys were going to have to be big in this game. Cason Wallace didn't have numbers that will blow you away but he made huge plays on both ends and drew the loudest roar of the day with this hammer over Jokic.
Shai got himself in foul trouble in the first half of Game 6, but he was on the court when his team needed him for the biggest game of the season. The MVP award hadn't been announced and no one really knew why, but if they were waiting for this series to settle, then I think it's pretty obvious that SGA is going to have his first MVP when the season is over. The question is, will he have his first title as well?
Williams went to the break with 17 points after a huge second quarter. He would quiet down a bit in the second half, but the Thunder built up such a big lead in the final 3 minutes of the second quarter the starters got to take it easy for the final 12 minutes.
It was a one point game with 3:11 to go in the first half but the Thunder went on a run and took a 14 point lead into the break.
SGA took a back seat to Williams for a little while but it was always going to be the leading scorer in the league and the probable future MVP who was going to lead the way. Again he and the rest of his team set the tone with their defense and that made life easier on the other end of the court.
Williams certainly heard all the criticism and all the people calling him out for his performance in Game 6, but this team needs him to be huge down the stretch and that's exactly what he was in Game 7.
Jokic was largely kept in check for long stretches of the night. He had 20, 9 and 7 assists which is great for anyone else, but those are mortal numbers for the three time MVP who may have just seen his fourth MVP slip through his fingers on Sunday afternoon.
Jaylen Williams had a brutal Game 6, going 3/16 from the field and everyone expected him to bounce back in Game 7. He delivered the goods in the biggest game of the season. He exploded for 17 points in the second quarter and this was the first of his buckets.
The Nuggets threw a zone at the Thunder trying to limit SGA on the offensive end, but they attacked the middle and Chet Holmgren got easy bucket after easy bucket.
The Oklahoma City Thunder closed out the Denver Nuggets in Game 7 from Paycom Center and took one step closer to their first NBA title. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way and may have clinched the MVP award in the 125-93 win.
The Nuggets came out of the gate hot thanks to Christian Braun's nine early points, but with a sick Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon that strained a hamstring in Game 6, Denver couldn't hold on for more than two quarters.
THE OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER ARE HEADING TO THE WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS AFTER BLOWING OUT THE NUGGETS IN GAME 7!!
IT'S ALL OVER FROM OKC!!!
THE THUNDER ARE HEADING BACK TO THE CONFERENCE FINALS FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2016!!!
Watson drives and lays it up on the baseline.
Pickett launches a three from the wing and he hits it.
Tyson in the corner and he nails a three.
PIckett makes a three ball off the pull up from the top of the key.
Williams to the line after the foul on Tyson and he hits one of two FTs.
Mitchell drops a three ball from the corner after the offensive board from Wiggins!
Joe to the line after the foul on Tyson and he hits both FTs.
MItchell with a nice move in the lane and he floats it up and through.
Tyson pulls up from the middle of the paint and gets the push shot to fall.
Joe from the top of the key and he hits it off the pump fake and pull up.
Strawther drives baseline and dunks it with two hands.
Watson to the line after the foul on Joe and he hits both FTs.
SGA pulls up and sinks the three ball and that will be his final say in this Game 7!!! The starters get pulled with a massive standing ovation around Paycom Center.
Willams drills a three ball form the top of the key!
Strawther into the lane and he floats it up and in.
SGA pulls up and hits the baseline jumper. He's got 32 on the afternoon.
The Nuggets starters have headed to the bench and this game is over!
Caruso picks the pocket of Jokic and he dumps it back for SGA on the transition slam!!!
Timeout Nuggets with 9:36 to go in Game 7.
Murray drives to the cup and lays it up and in.
Williams to the line after the foul on Jokic and he hits both FTs.
SGA pulls up on the baseline and he hits the mid range jumper.
SGA gets Braun up and off is feet and the leaner in the lane falls and he gets the foul! FT is good.
WE ARE HEADING TO THE FINAL QUARTER WITH THE THUNDER IN COMPLETE CONTROL.
MPJ fouled Holmgren on the drive to the bucket right as the clock was expiring. They went to a challenge and the call stood. Holmgren t the line where he hits one of two FTs.
Timeout Thunder with 1.2 to go in the third quarter.
Jokic drills a three ball from the top of the key and that's his first of the day. He's got 24.
Holmgren to the line after the foul on Westbrook and he hits both FTs.
Wallace finds Wiggins on the wing and he strings the three on the break! OKC are rolling in this third quarter!
Tough shot from Strawther in traffic down the lane for his first points of the night!
Williams running the break and slips it to Caruso for the transition slam!
Murray fouled Holmgren after he dragged down the offensive board and he hits both FTs.
Murray pulls up from the elbow and hits the mid range jumper.
Wallace stripped Jokic and laid it off for Caruso on the finger roll.
Braun to the line and he hits both FTs after the foul on Wiggins.
SGA to the line after the foul on Westbrook and he hits both FTs.
Westbrook jacks a three ball and sinks it from the corner off the kick out from Murray!
Hartenstein with the soft hook shot with the left and and that goes.
Jokic looks ahead to Braun on the break for the lay up.
Wallace in the corner and somehow he banks it in from downtown!
Braun to the line after the foul on Wiggins and he hits one of two FTs.
Wallace down the floor before everyone and he throws it down on Jokic to set this Paycom Center on fire!!!
Timeout Nuggets with 6:30 to go in the 3rd quarter.
Gordon turns it over and SGA breaks to the bucket for a lay up on the left side.
Braun pulls down the offensive rebound and finds Murray for the finger roll down the lane.
Hartenstien down low on the baseline off the dish from Williams down the lane.
Dort picks the pocket of Porter Jr. and he takes it for the slam with 8:00 to go in the 3rd quarter.
Murray drills a three ball and the Nuggets need to see him ignite.
Dort to the line after the foul on Jokic and he hits one of two FTs.
Jokic finds Braun down the lane and he slams it home in traffic.
Caruso cutting baseline and Holmgren hit him for the reverse lay up.
Jokic finds MPJ on the slip across the lane and he lays it up and in.
SGA drills a step back three ball from the top of the key and the Nuggets need a timeout just a minute and a half into this third quarter!
Williams drives, stops and hits the short jumper from outside the lane and just like that it's a 20 point lead!
The foul has been upgraded to a flagrant to SGA hits both FTs and the Thunder get the ball back.
Gordon called for an offensive foul and they are going to review it to see if the elbow to the face of SGA is a flagrant.
Murray lost it and SGA goes strolling in for a dunk to start the half!
WE ARE BACK IN OKC FOR THE SECOND HALF OF ACTION!!!
SGA has 12 points and he will happily admit that Williams has out performed him. SGA is 4/7 from the field and has 3 rebounds and 3 assists on at the half.
Willams has 17 points o 8/12 shooting but it's been more about his defense than anything else. He's got some steals and that's led to points on the other end, and that opened up the floor and gave him the green light to start shooting jumpers.
Jokic is having himself a night, but so far he's not getting much from anyone other than Braun. The Serbian has 17, 6 and 3 but after Braun, Gordon is the next highest scorer with 8.
Jaylen Williams had a terrible Game 6 going 3/16. Tonight he is locked in. He had a huge second quarter, and that's the reason OKC are leading this game.
The Nuggets are implementing a zone on OKC, but they are getting into the middle of the zone and Holmgren is unlocking the defense.
The Denver Nuggets came out red hot thanks to Christian Braun who had 9 quick points of the gate. That set the tone for Denver but OKC had their response.
WE ARE AT THE END OF THE FIRST HALF AND THE THUNDER TOOK CONTROL OVER THE LAST FEW MINUTES!!
They went on a 16-5 run in the final 3 minutes and lead by 14.
Williams on the leaner in the lane and gets it to go to end the half!
Jokic in traffic and gets the floater to fall in the lane.
SGA to the line after the foul on Jokic and he hits both FTs.
Jokic to the line after the foul on Caruso and he hits one of two FTs.
Braun's pass was picked off by Caruso and that ends with a Williams lay up after a streak to the cup.
Jokic lost the ball and Williams took it all the way for the slam!
SGA from the wing and he drills the three ball!
Jokic puts it on the deck and floats it up and in out of the timeout.
Williams with the rebound on one end and slams it down on a coast to coast break!
Timeout Nuggets with 1:44 to go in the half!
Willimas from the wing and he drills the three ball off the feed from SGA!!
SGA over the top for Holmgren and he lays it the alley oop up and in.
Murray pulls up and hits the elbow jumper. He's been quiet today but that could get him going.
Timeout Thunder with 3:10 to go in the first half.
Williams missed the lay up but Dort came screaming in for the tip in.
Jokic to the line after the foul on Caruso and he hits both FTs.
Caruso on the baseline and he leaves it for Williams in the lane and he floats it up and in.
Gordon to the line after the offensive rebound and and foul on SGA, and he hits both FTs.
SGA to the line after the foul on Braun and he hits one of two FTs.
Braun from the top of the key and he drills the three ball!
Gordon lost the ball and Dort looked ahead to Caruso for the jam on the break.
Dort in the corner and he sinks the three ball off the dish from Williams.
Jokic backing down Caruso, gets into the lane, lays it up over Holmgren and gets the foul! FT is good to complete the three pointi play.
Wiggins on the step back and he drops the three from the wing over Strawther!
Gordon with a big three ball from the wing and that's the first bucket of the second half for DEN.
Williams misses the lay up but Hartenstein follows and throws it down!
Timeout Nuggets with 10:27 to go in the 2nd quarter.
Williams with his second bucket in the second quarter and he gets the foul on the runner. FT is no good after the foul on Braun.
Wiggins forces the turnove and SGA takes it to the cup on the break.
Williams goes right to the bucket out of the break and lays it up and in.
WE ARE AT THE END OF THE FIRST QUARTER!!!
DEN lead by 5 thank to Jokic who has 7, 4 and 3 after 12 minutes. Braun had 9 points out of the gate. Holmgren has 6 to lead the Thunder. SGA has 4.
Holmgren misses the three ball but Wiggins was there for the tip in.
Caruso spots up from the top of the key and sinks the three ball!
Murray down the lane and he finger rolls it in traffic for his first points.
Wallace down the lane again and he lobs it up again for Holmgren on the alley oop.
Westbrook in the corner off the kick out from Braun for the three ball!
Wiggins hits Wallace on the cut to the bucket and he hammers it home with a two handed slam on the break.
Wallace drives into the lane and lobs it up for Holmgren for the baseline alley oop.
Watson to the line after the foul on Holmgren but he misses both FTs.
Timeout Nuggets with 4:37 to go in the 1st quarter.
Jokic down low for Gordon and he lays it up and in and gets the foul! FT is good after the foul on Wallace.
SGA off the dribble and burns past Jokic for the lay up off the glass.
Jokic finds Braun slashing through the lane and he lays it up and in.
Jokic back to the line and he hits both FTs after the foul on Hatenstein.
Jokic back to the line after the foul on Dort, his second, and he hits one of two FTs.
Jokic to the line after the foul on Dort and he hits both FTs.
SGA finding Hartenstein running down the middle of the floor and he slams it home!
Braun puts it up with the shot clock winding down and he drills the three ball! He's got 7 already!
SGA out of the timeout and he gets it pull up jumper from the elbow to fall for his first points of the day.
Braun missed the three but MPJ drags down the rebound and puts it back up and in.
Timeout Thunder with 9:44 left in the first quarter.
Braun looking down for Jokic and he turns and scoops it up and in from down low.
Williams misses the lay up but Hartenstein is there for the tip slam on the follow.
Braun driving to the rack and he slams it down! He's got four quick points.
Holmgren spins on MPJ and he stetches to the rack for the lay up.
Braun starts us off with a mid range jumper off the dish from Jokic!
GAME 7 IS UNDERWAY FROM OKC!!!
Thunder a lock?
Everyone seems to be counting out the Nuggets tonight. That's a dangerous position to be in if you are OKC. They were the best team in the league and only lost 8 games at home all season. It's kind of a no win situation for the Thunder. If they win, it's because they should have, and if they lose people will be up in arms. There is a lot at stake tonight with a trip to the WCF on the line.
Thunder's starters
The Thunder are back home and ready for Game 7. They are healthy, and they are going with their best five to begin the game from OKC. It's SGA, Dort, Williams, Holmgren and Chet. This was a team built to get deep into the playoffs, but you can't do that without getting through a couple of tough tests. This could be the toughest test they face all year.
Nuggets starting five
Aaron Gordon is in the starting five for coach Adleman. It remains to be seen how mobile and explosive he can be, but he is going to give it a go. It's Murray, Braun, MPJ, Gordon and Jokic. This five accounts for most of the points for the Nuggets, and they are going to have to bring it on the road today in Game 7.
Injury report: Thunder
The Thunder are back home looking to close out the series in front of their home fans. For this stage of the season they are remarkably healthy. Only Nikola Topic is listed on the injury report, and he has been out since January so OKC are used to playing without him. SGA did suffer some sort of minor injury to his hand last game and he was seen clutching his non shooting hand a couple times but still had 32 points in the game, and is not on the injury report.
Gordon available
Well, while all reports indicate that Gordon's injury could to keep him out for not just tonight, but a longer period of time, he has been upgraded to available. This is huge news for Denver who know just how important Gordon is for this team. How much he will play and how effective he can be still remains a mystery.
Injury report: Nuggets
The good news in Game 6 was the they won. The bad news for the Nuggets was Aaron Gordon pulled up and clutched his hamstring in the final minutes of the game. He is questionable tonight, but a hamstring strain is the same thing that kept Steph Curry out against the Wolves. Russell Westbrook is dealing with a sprained hand, but he is probable. Hunter Tyson and DaRon Holmes have been out the entire postseason and that is the case tonight for Game 7.
Top seeds in trouble
The Thunder aren’t just the only top see remaining, they are the only team in the top two seeds in either respective conference. The Knicks are on to the Conference Finals in the East as a three seed, and they will take on the four seed Indiana Pacers. The Wolves are the six seed and the Nuggets are the four seed in the West. If Denver wins today, the highest seed that can win the title is the Knicks at 3. That has only happened 8 times in the history of the NBA Finals. One four seed has one the NBA title, and that came all the way back in 1969 when the Celtics beat the Lakers in the Finals. The only team to ever win the championship that was not a top four seed was the Houston Rockets in 1995 when they beat the Orlando Magic in a clean sweep. If the Nuggets win today we will have none of the “top four” team remaining from the regular season.
Wolves waiting
Today’s winner is heading to the Conference Finals where they will meet the sixth seeded Minnesota Timberwolves. Anthony Edwards and the Wolves have breezed past their opponents with back to back gentleman sweeps. They took out Luka, LeBron and the new look Lakers and then KOed Jimmy Butler and a Golden State Warrior team that was without Steph Curry. They wrapped up the series on Wednesday night and won’t play again until Tuesday night. They will be rested and ready for whoever comes out of this long, grueling seven game series.
The other guys
As so often is the case, the other guys are going to be the reason why one team moves on today and why the other goes home. The Thunder have dominated the battle of the bench points in this series. That was again the case in Game 6, but Julian Strawther came up with a huge game in the biggest night of his NBA career. He had 15 points and was depended on down the stretch by coach Adleman. Dort had a big game in Game 5. Carson has been big off the bench for OKC. Michael Porter Jr. overcame his shoulder last game, and Russell Westbrook has had his ups and downs in the series. Who is it going to be to step up in the biggest game of the season and lift their team to the Conference Finals?
MVP could be decided tonight
The MVP has yet to be announced. They say that the votes are in but the results haven’t been made public. That’s interesting considering both MVP candidates are facing off in a head to head series that is going to be decided this afternoon. After an 82 game season in which SGA led the league in scoring on the NBA’s best team, he met Jokic and the Nuggets with a chance to get to the Conference Finals. The Serbian is having his greatest season ever, including the three seasons he won the MVP, and now can end SGA and the Thunder’s dream season with a win today. Both would probably trade the MVP for the NBA title, but Game 7 will give us one last look at both MVP candidates and might just determine who goes on to with the award.
J Wil needs a big night
This series has been about both MVP candidates but they can’t win the games on their own. They need help, and usually that help comes from their sidekick. Murray came to the rescue to help Jokic in a must win game from Denver. That wasn’t the case with SGA’s sidekick, Jalen Williams. Williams had 10 assists to lead the Thunder but went just 3/16 from the field and scored just 6 points. He is shooting just 33% from the field in this series and that includes the Game 3 loss in which he scored 32 points. This is a young team that is learning how to win playoff games on the fly. Williams is going to have to bounce back from a dreadful Game 6 this afternoon in front of the home fans.
Murray stepping up
It may not have been as publicized or as dramatized as Michael Jordan’s Flu Game in the 1997 NBA Finals but Jamal Murray went into Game 6 battling an illness and delivered a performance that Nuggets fans won’t soon forget. He came out of the gate with a four point play and that set the tone for the rest of the game. He looked unstoppable when driving to the bucket, locked in when jacking it up from long range and dish 7 assists on top of his 25 points. When asked if there was any doubt on whether he would play or not, he was very clear with his answer. Murray was instrumental in the Nuggets title run a couple years ago, and if they are going to make another run at it, he is going to have to be special today.
Star watch: Thunder
Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but it’s Game 7 and that’s when the best player on the team needs to step up. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has carried this team the entire season and today will be no different. The leagues’ top scorer posted 32 points, but picked up his fourth foul late in the second quarter of the game, and that killed the Thunder’s momentum heading into halftime. He’s averaging 28.8 points a game and has had four 30+ point games, but for as great as he is, it’s going to be up to his teammates to win this game and get the franchise back to the Conference Finals.
Star watch: Nuggets
It’s Game 7 and Game 7s is when the best player on the team has to step up. Nikola Jokic has been sensational all season, in the first round and of course in this round as well. He’s had a couple 40+ games, but the Nuggets don’t want him to have to put up those kinds of numbers. They’d much rather see him dish double digit assists than put up 40 or 50 today. He had 29 points, 14 rebounds and 8 assists last game, and one of the biggest factors for him and for the Nuggets was that his teammates were making their shots. That’s going to have to be the case today in OKC with the season on the line. It’s going to be a heavy weight battle between the NBA’s two of the MVP candidates.
Game 6 recap
The Thunder couldn’t deliver in Denver on Thursday night. They had a chance to shut the door on the Nuggets in Game 6 but Jamal Murray had other ideas. A sick Murray was visibly under the weather but came up with a clutch performance in the elimination game. He had 25 points 8 rebounds and 7 assists in a game that was tight for the first two quarters. The Nuggets took control in the third quarter, but it wasn’t Jokic or Murray who changed the game. It was Julian Strawther who had 8 of his 15 points in an 11-0 run that tilted the scaled in favor or the Nuggets and they were able to hold off SGA with his 32 points and the rest of the Thunder to force today’s Game 7.
We are live from Paycom Center
Hello everyone and welcome to OKC where the Thunder have a chance to get back to the Conference Finals for the first time since 2016, but they are going to have to get past a Denver Nuggets team that has their eye on a return run to the NBA Finals. The Thunder had a chance to close out the series in Denver on Thursday night but the Nuggets stood tall on their home court and forced todays can’t miss matchup. Two of the top teams in the league. Two of the best players on earth. One game to determine who is moving on in the Western Conference. It’s Game 7.
Nuggets vs. Thunder Game 7 live
They are the best two words in sports. Game. Seven. Today we have a matinee from Oklahoma City as the top seeded team in the NBA look to keep their historic season alive against a past champion who will be hoping to knock off the top dogs in the West and continue their pursuit for a second title in franchise history. It’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City. Thunder hosting Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets in an all or nothing Game 7 and AS English will be with you all afternoon providing live coverage, stats, highlights and analysis of this do or die game from the Paycom Center.