The Denver Nuggets had leads on Oklahoma City in the fourth quarter for two consecutive games and couldn’t hold the Thunder down. They lost both leads and games, erasing any margin for error heading into Game 6.
The Thunder’s ability to rally late, including Tuesday’s 112-105 home win in Game 5, have given them a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference best-of-seven semifinals series, and they can advance with a win on Thursday night in Denver.
Oklahoma City, the top seed for the second season in a row, has not been to the conference finals since 2016 when it let a 3-1 series lead slip away. The Thunder lost in seven games to Golden State. The Thunder had a big lead in Game 6 of that series, and although no one on this roster was on that team, the players know they need to be focused on finishing.
“It’s a close-out game in Denver against a really good team,” Thunder big man Chet Holmgren said. “We have to lock in.”
Each game in the series, except for Oklahoma City’s 43-point win in Game 2, has come down to the final minutes. The Nuggets used their playoff experience to win the first two close contests, but the Thunder executed down the stretch to pull out the last two.
Oklahoma City also has worn down Denver’s three-time MVP, Nikola Jokic, with smothering defense before he came alive Tuesday night with 44 points and 15 rebounds. The Thunder have made Jokic’s teammates take big shots, and it didn’t work out for the Nuggets, especially in Game 5.
Jokic and Aaron Gordon combined to shoot 23-for-38 Tuesday night, but the rest of the team was 17-for-59. Michael Porter Jr., playing with an injured left shoulder, was 1-for-7.
“We’ve played well enough to win the last two games,” Porter said. “A lot of the reason we lost is because I’m not helping contribute. And that’s tough. That’s really tough. … I haven’t been contributing in any way.”
Jamal Murray, who had an offensive outburst with a 13-point third quarter, was 1-for-6 in the fourth and his only field goal came with 17 seconds left. Jokic was 4-for-6 in the final 12 minutes. The rest of the team was 1-for-15.
Denver had three players — Jokic, Murray and Christian Braun — log 42 minutes or more while Gordon played 37 minutes. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 39 minutes were the most for the Thunder.
“If it is fatigue, that’s on me,” Nuggets interim coach David Adelman said. “I’m deciding who’s going to run it, who’s going to be out there.”
Denver’s lack of depth has been an issue in the series. It has mostly relied on a seven-player rotation while using other players for short bursts at different times, so it’s relying on championship experience against a younger team.
Oklahoma City has gained experience in the series and can use that knowledge to get that last win and advance — either Thursday night or Sunday.
“We’re a better team today than we were at the beginning of the series,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “We’re definitely evolving and growing and learning.”
–Field Level Media
