2025 NBA PLAYOFFS West Semifinals: #1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #4 Denver Nuggets (Series tied 3-3)

[GeorgeSears]

Literally had Clippers in 6. It’s as much a miracle they beat them, as it is them pushing OKC to a game 7 lol

I felt good about them in the Clippers series. In fact, that was the only series I liked them in going into the playoffs.

They frankly have no business being 3-3 going into a game 7 over OKC. What's keeping them in is their resolve and championship pedigree. They know how to win ugly.

You like their chances in game 7?

Not really. It's fun that they've gotten this far, but I know their limitations. I won't be surprised if they win game 7, because the pressure is going to be high, but role players do play better at home and they're a deeper team.

[JustBuzzin]

So did Jokic get enough help tonight?

Seems like all the games the Nuggets lose it's always his teammates fault. When they win it's not a issue lol.

Excuses...

[shi-woo]

Just want to give credit to Adelman for having the balls to bench Westbrook when he was playing out of control. That move is what settled Westbrook down and gave Strawther confidence.

For those of you who always question the impact of coaching, and what makes a good/bad coach, just look at that single move and the impact it had on the game.

[davidv2001]

His issue since being drafted is his defense. He wasn't a net negative out there tonight on the defensive end this game (and he obviously went nuts scoring the ball).

It hasn't been just his defense. He looked out of control a lot of the time this year on offense. He would take the ball into the paint near the foul line without a plan it seemed at times and his handle wasn't tight enough for it. And he wasn't hitting his 3s at a high enough rate to offset the other things at just under 35%.

He does that, but the biggest issue was being lost on defense and committing bad fouls, however, yes, driving into the paint and then turning over the ball is another one of his bugaboos. His movement tonight was pretty tight. Catch and shoot for the most part and one movement catch and layup. Maybe, that's his future. Learn how to be a catch-and-shoot player and don't try to do too much because that's not your game.

The odd thing is Strawther was mostly a catch-and-shoot player on the Gonzaga team that lost to Baylor in the national championship game.

[azcatz11]

So did Jokic get enough help tonight?

Seems like all the games the Nuggets lose it's always his teammates fault. When they win it's not a issue lol.

Excuses...

Bro…we’re giving props to strawther acting like he’s penny hardaway and the man put up 15 pts lol

Jokic has no helpb

[gp2015]

I have to give Strawther credit. I've argued several times that he's been one of the single worst (non-rookie) players getting substantial minutes this year. And the worst getting substantial minutes on a team with some title aspirations.

But he stepped up big tonight. Hit shots. Didn't play out of control with his diagonal drives. Put up some resistance on the defensive end. A really big performance from him.

He won them the game

Nuggets probably would have lost without his shooting tonight but that doesn't mean he won them the game.

Without either Jokic or Murray, would they have still won?

You can say all of them were essential to tonight's win but no one individually won them the game.

[Chuck Everett]

Westbrook was -9. He was a disaster. Coach only played him 16 minutes. If you see he’s going to be bad I wouldn’t even play him more than 12 minutes.

He was miserable in the first half, but I understood why Adelman brought him back in, in the 4th. I don't think the Thunder will do it for 48 minutes, but the Nuggets looked really shaky once the fullcourt pressure defense started. They needed another ballhandler on the floor.

[Sharkboy242]

Murray 25-8-7 and +28 tonight.

Flu game confirmed.

[gp2015]

So did Jokic get enough help tonight?

Seems like all the games the Nuggets lose it's always his teammates fault. When they win it's not a issue lol.

Excuses...

Bro…we’re giving props to strawther acting like he’s penny hardaway and the man put up 15 pts lol

Jokic has no helpb

He did have help tonight with Murray and Braun and Strawther.

I mean Jokic himself hasn't been having his best series either so he has to take some of the blame for their losses as well.

[Wolfgang630]

Braun was great. He gets props too

[uncleduck13]

I felt good about them in the Clippers series. In fact, that was the only series I liked them in going into the playoffs.

They frankly have no business being 3-3 going into a game 7 over OKC. What's keeping them in is their resolve and championship pedigree. They know how to win ugly.

You like their chances in game 7?

Not really. It's fun that they've gotten this far, but I know their limitations. I won't be surprised if they win game 7, because the pressure is going to be high, but role players do play better at home and they're a deeper team.

I feel the same way. I think in order for OKC to actually lose It would take a situation like the Suns against the Mavs in 2022 where they just completely freeze up and fold from the pressure

[AleksandarN]

Denver lucky my ass. It’s called championship pedigree. It’s called they’ve been here before and OKC hasn’t. That’s not luck. That’s experience that Denver wasn’t nervous.

Even before their chip they were the only team to comeback from 3-1 in a series twice. They are as mentally tough as they come.

[knicksfan974]

Westbrook was -9. He was a disaster. Coach only played him 16 minutes. If you see he’s going to be bad I wouldn’t even play him more than 12 minutes.

He has a lot of flaws but he did come up with some timely buckets down the stretch.

[Chuck Everett]

So if you're a Thunder fan, how comfortable are you with Daigneault right now? He looks like a deer in headlights out there.

[MarcusBrody]

Braun was great. He gets props too

I actually thought Braun was the second best player tonight. Murray scored more, but Braun fought hard against SGA, rebounded hard, and was the only non-Jokic Nugget to shoot above 50% from the floor. Murray hit some tough shots, but also through things off by over dribbling at times. He had a good game, but I think Braun had a quieter, but maybe more impactful one.

Aaron Gordon had one of his least good games tonight. I hope it was just variance and not the hamstring he seemed to grab a couple of times. He's been the most consistent Nugget, but today wasn't his best game.

[B-easy]

If OKC wins game 7, they will win the Championship. I think Nuggets will be there toughest challenge.

[MrPainfulTruth]

So if you're a Thunder fan, how comfortable are you with Daigneault right now? He looks like a deer in headlights out there.

Huh? What was he supposed to do? If a guy catches fire theres very little they can do to stop it. Same with Dort last game.

[Chuck Everett]

So if you're a Thunder fan, how comfortable are you with Daigneault right now? He looks like a deer in headlights out there.

Huh? What was he supposed to do? If a guy catches fire theres very little they can do to stop it. Same with Dort last game.

His managing of Chet's minutes are kind of baffling. He only played 30 minutes tonight. He subbed him out in the first 4 minutes of the game, which kind of set the tone for the game.

[HotRocks34]

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[JDR720]

So if you're a Thunder fan, how comfortable are you with Daigneault right now? He looks like a deer in headlights out there.

Rotation wise, he's still acting as if it's the regular season. They played 10 guys meaningful minutes. SGA only had 35, Chet only 30, and Williams 38. Nobody else on the team had more than 27 minutes.

SGA and Chet need to get into the high 30's, low 40's.