The Denver Nuggets did it again. After robbing the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 earlier this week, Game 3 at Ball Arena on Friday night had a similar vibe. The Nuggets were down 102-99 when Aaron Gordon hit a corner three-pointer. Sound familiar? Just like he won Game 1 with his heroics, Gordon tied the game and it eventually went to OT. Denver took control in overtime, outscoring OKC 11-2 and sending downtown Denver into a frenzy. They now lead this Western Conference semifinals series by a score of two games to one. A pivotal Game 4 will be held in just about 36 hours at Ball Arena.
Jamal Murray finished with 27 points, Gordon with 22, Michael Porter Jr. with 21 and Nikola Jokic with 20. Denver’s starters showed up in a big way, with Christian Braun adding eight and Russell Westbrook scoring eight off the bench. This was never easy, but they found a way to get it done. The Nuggets came out firing in the third quarter, but unfortunately the Thunder were also up for the task. In a back-and-forth affair, it seemed like every time one team made a big bucket, the other team had an answer. When it was all said it done, OKC was up on Denver by four points with just 12 minutes to go.
The first half for the Nuggets was a frustrating one, particularly for Jokic. He finished just 2-9 from the field with eight points and five turnovers. The Serbian superstar did have nine rebounds, but it was one of his poorest two quarters of the season. With that said, the bright side was Denver only found themselves down five points. Oklahoma City held a 56-51 lead at the break, after being up by six points at the end of the first quarter. Porter, who has an injured shoulder, was a pleasant surprise for the Nuggets scoring 15 points in the first half on 5-6 shooting. He made all three of his three-pointers.
Denver briefly took its first lead of the game at 39-38 with 8:07 to go in the second quarter, but the Thunder got too many easy buckets on the other end. They had nine offensive rebounds at the half, while the Nuggets had zero. Still, in the end, Denver proved to be the more resilient team. Just like they did in Game 1. Now, they can take an unfathomable 3-1 series lead over the Thunder on Sunday afternoon. OKC went 68-14 in the regular season, but is two wins away from a way too early exit. The Nuggets hope to send them to that, while chasing a second title in three years. Buckle up.
In a truly bonkers night of flailing MVPs, the Nuggets outlasted the Thunder 113-104 in OT to take a 2-1 lead in the Western Conference semifinals. The Nuggets rallied from a 56-51 halftime deficit, and Aaron Gordon hit a 3-pointer with 26.7 seconds remaining to tie the game at 102. MVP finalists Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokić each had a chance to win it in regulation, but Gilgeous-Alexander missed a floater and Jokić's turnaround jumper clanged off the rim as time expired. Jokić responded with a layup to open overtime that sparked a 7-0 Nuggets run and sent Ball Arena into a frenzy.
Michael Porter Jr. showed up big for the Nuggets, tallying 21 points and eight rebounds while shooting 5 of 6 from 3. His performance was a stark contrast to his previous struggles, where he had managed only 10 total points in Games 1 and 2 in Oklahoma City. Porter said postgame that he's been taking lidocaine injections to numb the pain in his shoulder, which was initially diagnosed as a 4-6 week injury. "I knew there would be games where I wasn’t able to produce how I wanted to, but it’s the playoffs, and I wanted to go out there and at least try," Porter remarked.
Despite Jokic's struggles, the Nuggets found a way to win. Jokic finished with 20 points, 16 rebounds, and six assists but shot just 8 of 25 from the field, including an 0-for-10 effort from 3, marking the worst of his playoff career. He turned the ball over eight times, also a career playoff worst. However, the Nuggets overcame those struggles thanks in part to a hot shooting night from 3 (16 of 40, 40%) that was paced by Porter.
On the other hand, the Thunder, who had been dominant in Game 2 with a 149-106 victory, struggled to find their rhythm in the overtime period. Jalen Williams scored 32 points for the Thunder, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren each finished with 18 points. The Thunder shot 9-of-35 from deep, unable to capitalize on their opportunities.
As the series continues, the Nuggets have regained home-court advantage and will look to extend their lead in Game 4. Coach David Adelman expressed confidence in his team's ability to bounce back after the Game 2 defeat. "It’s just a loss. I know that they broke records or whatever. But it’s 1-1. I didn’t feel embarrassment. I felt like they played great, and we played bad. And it’s sports, and sometimes that happens," he said.
With both teams showcasing their strengths and weaknesses, the upcoming Game 4 promises to be an exciting matchup. The Nuggets aim to capitalize on their momentum, while the Thunder will be looking to bounce back and even the series. The stakes are high as both teams vie for a spot in the Western Conference Finals. Fans can expect a thrilling showdown as the Nuggets and Thunder face off once again on Sunday afternoon.
