Thunder run away from Nuggets in Recreation 7, attain Western finals – whbl.com

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 35 factors to guide the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder to a 125-93 residence win over the Denver Nuggets in Recreation 7 of their Western Convention second-round sequence Sunday.
The Thunder superior to the Western Convention Finals for the primary time since 2016. Oklahoma Metropolis opens the convention finals towards the Minnesota Timberwolves at residence Tuesday.
After scoring simply six factors in Thursday’s loss, Thunder All-Star Jalen Williams bounced again in a giant approach, pouring in 24 factors on 10-of-17 capturing. Gilgeous-Alexander was 12 of 19 from the ground with three steals and no turnovers.
“He (Williams) was wonderful,” stated Gilgeous-Alexander. “He wouldn’t have performed the best way he performed in the present day final 12 months, I do know that 100%. To see him take that step ahead is a extremely proud second.”
Early on, it appeared just like the Nuggets have been carrying over the momentum from their Recreation 6 win. Denver led by double digits with a minute left within the first quarter earlier than the Thunder ripped off a 13-0 run spanning the primary and second quarters to take the lead for the primary time.
The Thunder grabbed the lead for good on Luguentz Dort’s 3-pointer with 7:20 left within the first half. Oklahoma Metropolis closed the primary half on an 18-5 run, together with back-to-back Denver turnovers that led to Williams buckets on the different finish and helped the Thunder construct a 60-46 lead at halftime.
Then the Thunder put the sport on ice with a 37-point third quarter, with 10 of these factors coming off the Nuggets’ 5 turnovers. Oklahoma Metropolis led by as many as 43 factors within the fourth quarter.
Denver was additionally 3 of 14 from past the arc within the third quarter and completed the sport simply 10 of 45 on 3-pointers.
“To have the beginning we needed after which to have it go sideways so rapidly (was powerful),” stated Nuggets’ interim coach David Adelman. “I assumed we managed the tempo of the sport early, it’s simple to neglect that now. … As soon as they obtained again into it, they stored bringing new folks in and it did overwhelm us.”
An enormous a part of the Thunder’s success was because of Alex Caruso’s protection. Regardless of a substantial dimension deficit, Caruso spent loads of time on Nuggets star Nikola Jokic, who typically discovered it tough to seek out photographs towards Oklahoma Metropolis’s top-ranked protection.
Jokic scored 20 factors on 5-of-9 capturing, whereas Caruso completed with a game-best plus-40 plus/minus ranking.
“The quantity of it in the present day was a results of how efficient it was, however it was a precedence going into in the present day,” stated Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault concerning Caruso’s efforts. “He did an unbelievable job individually.”
The Thunder scored 37 factors off Denver’s 23 turnovers, whereas giving the ball up simply 10 occasions themselves.
Nuggets ahead Aaron Gordon, who suffered a hamstring harm late in Recreation 6 and was a game-time determination, performed greater than 24 minutes, ending with eight factors and 11 rebounds.
“It means quite a bit, particularly for town,” stated Gilgeous-Alexander on advancing to the convention finals. “They’ve been so good all 12 months. They’ve been behind us, via good, via unhealthy. No crew within the league has a home-court benefit like we do.”
–Discipline Stage Media
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