Game 7 is where the best players are defined, and OKC made sure that they would get the last laugh in this series as the Thunder stormed through the Nuggets for a 125-93 victory. It was a huge rally for OKC, who were down by as many as 11 points in the first quarter. Now they are bound for the Western Conference Finals.

This marks the first time OKC has reached the WCF stage – since 2016, which was also coincidentally the last time Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook played together. Now the Thunder’s new era takes its chapter to another level and it cannot be denied that it has been one of the expectations from the team after its tough exit last season.

In the biggest stage of any playoff series, the Thunder did not falter, and it has immortalized the reputation of Paycom Center’s loud crowd as it showed up well in this game. Now, the Thunder’s focus shifts to the upcoming West Finals against the Minnesota Timberwolves, another rival that needs some showdown to close out.

A Thunderous Finish

OKC did not start strong and was trailing away from the Nuggets and slowly fought its way back. The second and third quarters were crucial in helping them build a huge lead to keep the Nuggets away and prevent any potential comebacks. This game was a defensive clinic for the Thunder, who piled up the best defensive numbers of the series so far.

Oklahoma City matched Denver in crashing the board – which has been always in the Nuggets’ favor, 44 to 47. However, OKC stood out on the defensive side, forcing a total of 22 turnovers to just nine of their own. Denver also got outscored in the paint, 64-42. Everything played out well for OKC, and it cannot be denied that this was theirs to lose.

The energy has been there for the Thunder all the time, and the crowd followed through with one big play after another. Denver could not keep up with OKC for the rest of the game before they eventually waved the white flag. With nine minutes left in the fourth.

Nikola Jokic finished with 20 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists. He did, however, have five turnovers and finished the series with a ratio of 41 assists to 31 turnovers, which is a huge difference from his previous series against the Los Angeles Clippers. Jokic had 71 assists to 21 turnovers in that run.

A Night to Remember

Jalen Williams was disastrous in Game 6 but responded well in Game 7. The first-time All-Star finished with 24 points, seven assists, and five rebounds while shooting 10-of-17 from the field, including 17 points in the second quarter alone to push the lead for the Thunder to double-digits.

Alex Caruso and Cason Wallace, however, made the biggest difference in the game with their defensive impact. The defensive duo had the highest +/- by the end of the game, with Caruso having +40 on 11 points, while Wallace had +38 with seven points – including a thunderous slam over Nikola Jokic.

On the other hand, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander kept his game alive for the team and was consistent without any turnovers. SGA had an MVP night with 35 points, four assists, three rebounds, and steals apiece on 12-of-19 shooting from the field. This was a picture-perfect finish in the semis for OKC as they now remain the only 60+ win team in the playoff chase.