The Oklahoma City Thunder collapsed hard in Game 3 when they could not buy a single bucket in overtime against the Denver Nuggets. When they went down 2-1, many fans were quick to criticize the Thunder for their inability to close out tight games. So when they came into Game 4, the approach was different, and it paid off well.

The Thunder showed that they can adapt, improvise, and overcome against a team that has so much experience on the big stage. Considering how the Denver Nuggets have been a solid squad over the years, OKC’s perfect response shows a lot about how the Thunder really has been great this season so far. Now they have tied the series, and it is going to be in Oklahoma City once more.

As the playoffs continue, road wins continue to steal the show. However, the OKC-DEN series has been a beast, and both teams have managed to respond well in time as they continue to put up impressive game performances. At this point, the fight continues in this series and is likely to bring huge adjustments one game after another.

The Response of the Thunder

OKC went 10-deep in its roster for Game 4, and it actually paid off as the Thunder saw a promising 35-8 twist on bench points – with Aaron Wiggins, Alex Caruso, and Cason Wallace combining for eight of OKC’s 10 three-pointers. It was a brilliant game for the Thunder, who took a 21-8 lead early in the second quarter and had control of Game 4.

They did, however, go down by six to start the fourth quarter. OKC responded with an 11-0 run from that point and did not keep their foot off the gas – throwing haymakers after haymakers as Denver tried to desperately claw their way back for a win.

Eventually, the game went down the wire – to fouls and free throws to end the fourth. OKC executed its plays well down the stretch, very much different compared to the last two games that ended in single digits. It was a promising sight for the Thunder, and they have done a great job of tying this series when it mattered most.

The MVP Battle

Neither star performed well in this game, but it was Shai Gilgeous-Alexander who shined bright on the big stage as he scored nine big points in the fourth quarter to push OKC to a promising victory. He finished the game with 25 points, six rebounds, and six assists on 8-of-19 shooting from the field.

On the other hand, Nikola Jokic did not play well to his standards. The 2024 MVP finished with 27 points and 13 rebounds on 7-of-22 shooting. What was surprising is that he only had three assists – the lowest number he had in that regard for the whole playoffs.

The game plan has been working for both teams. Denver is forcing SGA to be a playmaker, while OKC is forcing Jokic to be a scorer. So far, that has turned well to be true for both teams while both stars have responded at a great level. What mattered so far is the surrounding players to support them, and OKC’s depth has shown to be a huge advantage in its own right so far.

Now that the series will be shifting to OKC, the homecourt advantage also returns to the first seed in the West. This victory by the Thunder has undone any progress that the Nuggets have made, and now they have a prime chance to close this series in six or seven games.