The Denver Nuggets seized momentum with a dominant third-quarter surge and powered their way to a 119-107 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder, evening the series at 3-3 in the NBA Western Conference Semifinals on May 16.
Oklahoma City Thunder Top Performers:
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 32 PTS | 3 REB | 6 AST | 42.6 FPS
SGA had a rough start to the game, recording just four made baskets and four fouls in the first half. However, he still finished with his second straight 30-point game—and his fourth of the series, with three of them coming at home. Shai has been stuffing the stat sheet throughout the series and is expected to continue his dominant play in Game 7 on his home court.
Chet Holmgren 19 PTS | 11 REB | 1 BLK | 39.7 FPS
Holmgren got off to a strong start, scoring 11 points on 5-for-6 shooting from the field. He continued to be a dependable presence in the paint, averaging two blocks and recording his fourth double-digit rebounding game of the series. While he had an efficient scoring performance overall, his perimeter shooting faltered, going 0-for-3 during a crucial stretch in the fourth quarter. The Thunder will need him to be sharper from three if they hope to clinch the series.
Alex Caruso 10 PTS | 4 AST | 2 STL | 24.0 FPS
Caruso didn’t do much in the box score until late in the fourth where he hit two threes and forced two turnovers. Still he finished with his third consecutive double-digit scoring performance. With the team clearly struggling from three today—and ranking near the bottom in three-point shooting this postseason—they’ll need someone to step up and hit the long shots in Game 7. Caruso has hit at least two threes in his last four games and also gone 5-for-9 from deep in Game 1.
Cason Wallace 10 PTS | 4 REB | 3 STL | 22.8 FPS
Wallace delivered a strong two-way performance in the first half, finishing with 10 points on 4-for-5 shooting and adding 3 steals. However, he couldn’t do much with limited minutes in the second half of the game. Despite that, he should also continue to play a significant role in the rotation for Game 7.
Jaylin Williams 8 PTS | 5 REB | 1 STL | 19.0 FPS
Williams provided a big impact in the first half but struggled with foul trouble and couldn’t keep the momentum going in the second. While his minutes and production remain limited, he should continue to see a key role in defense going forward.
Denver Nuggets Top Performers:
Nikola Jokic 29 PTS | 14 REB | 8 AST | 65.8 FPS
Jokic continues to rack up big numbers, recording his seventh game this postseason with at least 13 rebounds and his eighth with at least 25 points. He was also highly efficient today, shooting 64% from the field, going 10-for-12 from the line, and committing just one turnover. Jokic has been mostly unstoppable in this series and now leads the league in total points, rebounds, assists, and steals in the postseason. He has also delivered two 40-point performances on the road in this series and could potentially do it again in Game 7.
Christian Braun 23 PTS | 11 REB | 3 STL | 53.7 FPS
Braun came through in a major way, starting strong with 15 points in the first half while also contributing across the board. He finished with his best scoring performance of the playoffs. While his more consistent impact comes on the defensive end, the team will need him to maintain this level of performance in Game 7—especially with most of their primary scorers underperforming.
Jamal Murray 25 PTS | 8 REB | 7 AST | 43.1 FPS
Murray appeared on the injury report today with an illness. But took the court and finished with his third game in this series with at least 25 points. He was special in the third scoring 9 points to push his team to the lead. Murray has also been impressive in elimination games, nearly averaging 28 points in 49/41/91 shooting splits and should continue to perform at that level for them to win the series.
Julian Strawther 15 PTS | 3 3PM | 2 REB | 17.4 FPS
Strawther has provided a big boost in offense, particularly in the third where he scored 8 points to help the team build a 10-point lead. His scoring and three-point shooting will be crucial for the team to win Game 7 at the road.
Aaron Gordon 5 PTS | 7 REB | 7 AST | 25.9 FPS
Gordon had scored at least 19 points in four of a recent five game stretch but has been less effective since, finishing with his lowest scoring output in the playoffs. His struggles from three have made a noticeable difference, as he’s gone just 2-for-9 from three over the past two games after averaging three triples in the first four. While he’ll likely remain a key contributor, his offensive production will be crucial for the team to clinch the series.
Biggest Disappointment of the Game:
Jalen Williams 6 PTS | 7 REB | 10 AST |
JDub delivered a strong performance overall, recording his best playmaking output of the playoffs along with his fourth game with 4 stocks. However, his shooting struggles have become increasingly difficult to ignore. He finished just 3-for-16 from the field and went 0-for-8 in the second half. Over the last three games, he’s shooting only 23.3% from the floor and an even worse 14.3% from the three-point area. While he continues to provide a solid defensive impact, his scoring has clearly struggled under pressure.
