The Oklahoma City Thunder, the youngest team in the NBA, showcased poise and resilience beyond their years to defeat the reigning champion Denver Nuggets 92-87 in Game 4 on Sunday, leveling their Western Conference semifinal series at 2-2.
In a gritty, low-scoring affair that followed an exhausting overtime battle just 36 hours prior, Oklahoma City leaned on clutch fourth-quarter execution and timely contributions from its bench to turn the tide. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 25 points, including nine in the final period, as the top seed in the West refused to be pushed to the brink of elimination.
“Quick turnaround with an early game today,” Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault acknowledged. “We made an intentional effort to use our depth today and get everybody going.”
That strategy paid off handsomely. Down 73-66 early in the fourth quarter after a smooth turnaround jumper by Denver’s Aaron Gordon, the Thunder responded with an 11-0 run sparked by reserves Cason Wallace and Aaron Wiggins. Wallace drilled two critical three-pointers, while Wiggins added another, energizing an Oklahoma City offense that had struggled mightily through three quarters.
Wallace’s second three gave OKC a 75-73 lead it would not relinquish. “I really thought the difference in the game was their bench kind of lit a fuse for them,” admitted Nuggets interim coach David Adelman. “They made 3s … pretty incredible in a game where the two teams shoot 21-of-86 from 3.”
Indeed, offense was scarce. The first quarter ended with just 25 combined points, and the teams shot a combined 33.5% from the field—the lowest in a playoff game since 2004, per ESPN Research. The Thunder led 42-36 at halftime after surviving a sluggish opening stretch.
Despite Denver’s experience and past playoff success, it was Oklahoma City who executed better down the stretch. Denver’s miscues included a critical five-second inbound violation in the final moments that sealed their fate.
“We fought,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “We stayed the course … and then we closed the game.”
Daigneault emphasized the value of these playoff battles in shaping his young squad: “Every time you take punches and you get back up, you get stronger. That’s what we’re preaching to our team.”
The series shifts back to Oklahoma City for Game 5 on Tuesday, with momentum firmly back in the Thunder’s corner.
