Thunder Advance to Western Conference Finals After Victory Over Nuggets

OKLAHOMA CITY: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander delivered a stellar performance as the Oklahoma City Thunder dominated the Denver Nuggets with a 125-93 victory in Game 7 of the NBA Western Conference Semifinals. The contest, held at the Paycom Center on Sunday night, resulted in a 4-3 series win for Oklahoma City.

Gilgeous-Alexander was the game’s top scorer with 35 points, also contributing four assists and three rebounds. His efforts propelled the Thunder to their first Western Conference Finals appearance since 2016.

“I felt some nerves, no question,” Gilgeous-Alexander confessed. “Recognizing the stakes… understanding that a subpar performance could mean the end. But I channeled that nervousness into motivation.”

Oklahoma City began tentatively, missing numerous early shots and trailing 26-21 after the first quarter.

However, they quickly turned things around in the second quarter, highlighted by an impressive 18-5 surge in the final three minutes, largely thanks to Jalen Williams’ 11 points during that period.

Oklahoma City outscored Denver 39-20 in the second quarter and maintained their advantage with a 37-26 score in the third.

“The nerves were understandable,” Gilgeous-Alexander commented.

“Our shooting was off at the start. But I was confident in the quality of our looks, and I knew that if we persisted, we’d find our rhythm and the ball would start falling. I wasn’t really concerned. Once I got a sense of the game’s rhythm and saw our focus and intensity, I knew we would bounce back,” he elaborated.

The Thunder took advantage of the absence of Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon, who reportedly sustained a Grade 2 hamstring strain late in Game 6. Oklahoma City adjusted their strategy, increasing the tempo and attacking the basket assertively.

Despite the defeat, Nuggets star Nikola Jokic had a noteworthy game with 20 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists, but it wasn’t sufficient to prevent Denver’s elimination.

Now, Oklahoma City sets its sights on the Western Conference Finals, aiming to sustain their playoff momentum and return to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2012.