Thunder Defeat Nuggets 92-87, Series Tied at 2-2
Game Context
Retaining a 92-87 victory against Denver and tying the Western Conference Semifinals at 1-1, the Oklahoma City Thunder shocked the playoffs on May 11, 2025. In a game oozing with playoff energy, both teams exchanged highlight-reel plays, but OKC's bench mob and fourth-quarter tenacity clinched the victory.
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Thunder's Big Three :
- Slicing through defences like a viral Tikac trend, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dropped a silky 25 PTS, 6 REB, 6 AST.
- While Isaiah Hartenstein crushed the glass with 8 PTS and a huge 14 REB, Jalen Williams cooked up 10 PTS + 5 AST.
- Bench Mafia Alert: In a combined 32 PTS, Alex Caruso, Cason Wallace, and Aaron Wiggins set the crowd ablaze, turning the script in the clutch.
Nuggets' Pain Points:
- The MVP's unusual off-night came when Nikola Jokić shot 7/22 FG and went 0-for-10 from deep, stuffing the stat sheet (27 PTS, 13 REB, 3 AST).
- Jamal Murray (17 PTS) and Aaron Gordon (15 PTS) kept Denver alive, but the offence flatlined in the fourth—think "group chat silence" after a meme fails.
- OKC's defence locked in like a trending hashtag, keeping Denver to 15 fourth-quarter points after being cooked in the third quarter. Can the Thunder ride this momentum to a #GlowUp with the series moving to Denver?
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| team | q1 | q2 | q3 | q4 | total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunder | 17 | 25 | 21 | 29 | 92 |
| Nuggets | 8 | 28 | 33 | 18 | 87 |
FIRST QUARTER: OKC CAME OUT SWINGING
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander went full "SGA Mode": attacking the rim, sinking mid-range buckets, and sparking a 17-8 Thunder lead.
Nuggets’ offense? More like "off-ensive" – bricking shots and looking lost.
SECOND QUARTER: NUGGETS WAKE UP
Jokić bullied the paint, Aaron Gordon muscled layups, and Jamal Murray splashed a trio of threes .
Denver’s 28-25 quarter cut OKC’s lead to 42-36 at halftime. Cue the momentum shift…
THIRD QUARTER: NUGGETS STEAL THE SHOW
Christian Braun turned into PLAYOFF BRAUN: poster dunks + catch-and-shoot threes.
Jokić dominated the glass, fueling a 33-21 Nuggets avalanche – Denver up 69-63 heading into the fourth. Uh-oh, Thunder fans…
FOURTH QUARTER: THUNDER BENCH GOES NUCLEAR
Alex Caruso and Cason Wallace hit CLUTCH back-to-back threes – crowd eruption incoming!
Shai closed the show with icy free throws , capping a 29-18 Thunder blitz for the 92-87 W.
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Preview of the Series:
Game 5, which is crucial, moves to Denver where the Nuggets have home-court advantage since the Western Conference Semifinals are knotted 2-2. Driven by their bench depth and the leadership of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who continues to be the team's cornerstone with his consistent two-way performance (averaging 25 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists per game), the Thunder have shown tenacity under hardship. Surprise performances by young players like Cason Wallace and Alex Caruso have brought vitality. The Nuggets, on the other hand, have obvious problems: Nikola Jokić (27 points, 13 rebounds) and Jamal Murray (17 points) had good stat lines but were inefficient; Jokić shot only 7/22 from the field and 0/10 from three; Murray's late-game decision-making contributed to Denver's fourth-quarter collapse (scoring only 15 points). To ease strain on their starters, the Nuggets' bench—outscored 32-12 in Game 4—must come up.
Though it's also a fight of roster depth and tactical execution, this series matches two MVP-caliber stars—Gilgeous-Alexander vs. Jokić. Oklahoma City's youthful energy and "next-man-up" strategy test Denver's championship history. While Jokić and Murray require more precise execution in crucial situations, role players like Aaron Gordon (defensive intensity) and Christian Braun (perimeter shooting) have to increase their influence if the Nuggets are to regain control. Whether Denver can counter the Thunder's aggressive double-team tactics on Jokić and whether OKC's bench keeps their X-factor contributions will determine the result. This stalemate battle promises more exciting drama given both sides' will to back down.
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