Shai Gilgeous-Alexander delivered a masterclass performance, scoring 35 points to propel the Oklahoma City Thunder to a dominant 125-93 win over the defending champion Denver Nuggets in Game 7 of their Western Conference semifinal series on Sunday.
With the emphatic victory at home, the Thunder advanced to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2016, where they will face the Minnesota Timberwolves, starting Tuesday.
The night belonged to Gilgeous-Alexander, who was near-flawless from the floor, shooting 12-of-19, while adding three steals and committing no turnovers. It was a resounding response from the Thunder after a tough Game 6 loss, and a reminder of how dangerous this young, energetic squad can be.
After a quiet showing in the previous outing, Jalen Williams returned to form with 24 points on 10-of-17 shooting, providing a critical scoring punch. “He just kept attacking,” said Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault. “That’s who he is.”
Denver came out firing early, riding the momentum from Game 6 to build a double-digit lead late in the first quarter. But the Thunder answered emphatically with a 13-0 run that stretched across quarters and flipped the game on its head.
Luguentz Dort gave Oklahoma City the lead for good with a 3-pointer midway through the second quarter. That sparked an 18-5 surge to close the half, punctuated by back-to-back steals and fastbreak buckets from Williams, sending the Thunder into the locker room up 60-46.
Oklahoma City then unleashed a 37-point third quarter blitz, fueled by Denver’s carelessness. The Nuggets committed five turnovers in the period, leading to 10 Thunder points and putting the game out of reach. The lead swelled to as much as 43 in the final frame, as Denver struggled to find answers on either end.
The Nuggets finished a dismal 10-of-45 from three-point range, including a woeful 3-of-14 in the third quarter. Oklahoma City, on the other hand, capitalized on nearly every opportunity, turning 23 Denver turnovers into 37 points.
A key component of the Thunder’s defensive clampdown was Alex Caruso. Despite a significant size mismatch, Caruso’s physical and intelligent defense on Nikola Jokic proved pivotal. Jokic was limited to just nine shot attempts and finished with 20 points. Caruso ended the night with a game-high +40 plus/minus.
Aaron Gordon, playing through a hamstring injury, contributed eight points and 11 rebounds for Denver but was visibly limited.
