2025 NBA PLAYOFFS West Semifinals: #1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #4 Denver Nuggets (OKC leads 3-2)

Moderators: Clav, Domejandro, ken6199, bisme37, Dirk, KingDavid, cupcakesnake, bwgood77, zimpy27, infinite11285

Who wins Game 5?

Nuggets
29
47%
@ Thunder
33
53%
 
Total votes: 62

Wolfgang630
RealGM
Posts: 21,538
And1: 20,680
Joined: Feb 07, 2016
 

Re: 2025 NBA PLAYOFFS West Semifinals: #1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #4 Denver Nuggets (Series tied 2-2) 

Post#41 » by Wolfgang630 » Tue May 13, 2025 10:57 pm

They got Dwight at the TNT studio asking him how he would guard Jokic lol.
tsherkin
Forum Mod - Raptors
Forum Mod - Raptors
Posts: 92,489
And1: 32,053
Joined: Oct 14, 2003
 

Re: 2025 NBA PLAYOFFS West Semifinals: #1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #4 Denver Nuggets (Series tied 2-2) 

Post#42 » by tsherkin » Tue May 13, 2025 11:11 pm

Wolfgang630 wrote:They got Dwight at the TNT studio asking him how he would guard Jokic lol.



Dwight would be a problem. He was mobile, he was strong, he was active.
User avatar
durden_tyler
RealGM
Posts: 21,531
And1: 10,791
Joined: Jun 04, 2003
Location: 537 Paper Street, Bradford
   

Re: 2025 NBA PLAYOFFS West Semifinals: #1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #4 Denver Nuggets (Series tied 2-2) 

Post#43 » by durden_tyler » Tue May 13, 2025 11:32 pm

Thunder -10 tonight. Not married to this line yet but that looks doable for an OKC team that has yet to get full offensive rhythm this series.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
If there is no basketball in heaven, i am not going.
User avatar
Optms
RealGM
Posts: 23,783
And1: 20,227
Joined: Jun 11, 2009
 

Re: 2025 NBA PLAYOFFS West Semifinals: #1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #4 Denver Nuggets (Series tied 2-2) 

Post#44 » by Optms » Wed May 14, 2025 12:06 am

tsherkin wrote:
Wolfgang630 wrote:They got Dwight at the TNT studio asking him how he would guard Jokic lol.



Dwight would be a problem. He was mobile, he was strong, he was active.


Dwight gave Jokic noticeable problems in the Bubble. And that was past his prime Howard. He was not pushing Dwight around like he does with other guys.
tsherkin
Forum Mod - Raptors
Forum Mod - Raptors
Posts: 92,489
And1: 32,053
Joined: Oct 14, 2003
 

Re: 2025 NBA PLAYOFFS West Semifinals: #1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #4 Denver Nuggets (Series tied 2-2) 

Post#45 » by tsherkin » Wed May 14, 2025 12:18 am

Optms wrote:
tsherkin wrote:
Wolfgang630 wrote:They got Dwight at the TNT studio asking him how he would guard Jokic lol.



Dwight would be a problem. He was mobile, he was strong, he was active.


Dwight gave Jokic noticeable problems in the Bubble. And that was past his prime Howard. He was not pushing Dwight around like he does with other guys.


Dwight's one of the best defenders we've seen, so that shouldn't have been a huge surprise, especially conserving his energy playing like 20 minutes per game, right?
Cubbies2120
Head Coach
Posts: 6,375
And1: 9,290
Joined: Apr 20, 2012
Location: MD
 

Re: 2025 NBA PLAYOFFS West Semifinals: #1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #4 Denver Nuggets (Series tied 2-2) 

Post#46 » by Cubbies2120 » Wed May 14, 2025 1:05 am

Optms wrote:
tsherkin wrote:
Wolfgang630 wrote:They got Dwight at the TNT studio asking him how he would guard Jokic lol.



Dwight would be a problem. He was mobile, he was strong, he was active.


Dwight gave Jokic noticeable problems in the Bubble. And that was past his prime Howard. He was not pushing Dwight around like he does with other guys.

That was pre-his prime Jokic too though, and it certainly helps that you leave DPOY candidate AD free to roam the paint. That seems to be the most successful strategy against Jokic - one big to body him up and another to roam the paint on help D.

Worked with Dwight/AD
Worked with KAT/Gobert
Working with Hart/Chet

I do think that 2021 season Jokic came into it in significantly better shape rather than working himself into shape, and the 2023-2025 version of Jokic, Dwight (any version of him) is not going to be able to guard him 1v1.
Jokic 5x MVP train
Wolfgang630
RealGM
Posts: 21,538
And1: 20,680
Joined: Feb 07, 2016
 

Re: 2025 NBA PLAYOFFS West Semifinals: #1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #4 Denver Nuggets (Series tied 2-2) 

Post#47 » by Wolfgang630 » Wed May 14, 2025 1:16 am

Dwight can’t guard Jokic. All these two big man with one shading got people thinking they can guard prime Jokic
bbms
Assistant Coach
Posts: 4,485
And1: 1,146
Joined: Dec 28, 2010
     

Re: 2025 NBA PLAYOFFS West Semifinals: #1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #4 Denver Nuggets (Series tied 2-2) 

Post#48 » by bbms » Wed May 14, 2025 1:22 am

i'd like to highlight two really good lineups by the thunder

sga dort jdub chet jaylin - is beating denver by like 16 net rtg

cason caruso + anybody

particularly

cason caruso wiggins + sga/jdub + chet/ihart. this has been sooooo good.

also

sga dort jdub chet ihart beats nuggets by just 1.9 net rtg/100

sga caruso jdub chet ihart is losing.

time to stick to what's working. dort has to play way less. and way less chet+ihart and sga+jdub. more caruso cason wiggins. jaylin williams should get some runs with the starters too.
cjx
Head Coach
Posts: 6,295
And1: 6,505
Joined: Aug 03, 2005

Re: 2025 NBA PLAYOFFS West Semifinals: #1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #4 Denver Nuggets (Series tied 2-2) 

Post#49 » by cjx » Wed May 14, 2025 1:35 am

Mile High Might 4Ever, never underestimate the heart of a champion :D!
Equanimity, peace, harmony and conscientiousness, friends
User avatar
MoneyTalks41890
Forum Mod
Forum Mod
Posts: 32,841
And1: 25,144
Joined: Oct 13, 2009
 

Re: 2025 NBA PLAYOFFS West Semifinals: #1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #4 Denver Nuggets (Series tied 2-2) 

Post#50 » by MoneyTalks41890 » Wed May 14, 2025 1:42 am

Love these aspirational start times
User avatar
rockmanslim
RealGM
Posts: 11,840
And1: 7,263
Joined: Jul 15, 2008
   

Re: 2025 NBA PLAYOFFS West Semifinals: #1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #4 Denver Nuggets (Series tied 2-2) 

Post#52 » by rockmanslim » Wed May 14, 2025 1:47 am

Ian Eagle, thank god
click

"Harden's a guy that averages 26 in the NBA, but if he was on the playground with you he'd only average about 5 because they wouldn't let him get those free throws." --Scott Hastings, April 6, 2013


Image
User avatar
Optms
RealGM
Posts: 23,783
And1: 20,227
Joined: Jun 11, 2009
 

Re: 2025 NBA PLAYOFFS West Semifinals: #1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #4 Denver Nuggets (Series tied 2-2) 

Post#54 » by Optms » Wed May 14, 2025 1:49 am

Expecting a OKC blowout.
sikma42
Head Coach
Posts: 6,870
And1: 6,096
Joined: Nov 23, 2011

Re: 2025 NBA PLAYOFFS West Semifinals: #1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #4 Denver Nuggets (Series tied 2-2) 

Post#55 » by sikma42 » Wed May 14, 2025 1:49 am

They are just grabbing Jokic so he can’t cut off ball


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM Forums
Marvin Martian
General Manager
Posts: 9,250
And1: 7,518
Joined: Aug 13, 2012

Re: 2025 NBA PLAYOFFS West Semifinals: #1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #4 Denver Nuggets (Series tied 2-2) 

Post#57 » by Marvin Martian » Wed May 14, 2025 1:50 am

OKC court looking beautiful with everyone wearing shirts
GeorgeSears
Lead Assistant
Posts: 5,575
And1: 5,993
Joined: Feb 10, 2021
 

Re: 2025 NBA PLAYOFFS West Semifinals: #1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #4 Denver Nuggets (Series tied 2-2) 

Post#58 » by GeorgeSears » Wed May 14, 2025 1:51 am

MPJ off to a terrible start.
User avatar
levon
RealGM
Posts: 17,352
And1: 27,153
Joined: Aug 04, 2017

Re: 2025 NBA PLAYOFFS West Semifinals: #1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #4 Denver Nuggets (Series tied 2-2) 

Post#59 » by levon » Wed May 14, 2025 1:52 am

Whats the point of a jump ball if you throw it straight to one team? Just flip a coin
User avatar
Optms
RealGM
Posts: 23,783
And1: 20,227
Joined: Jun 11, 2009
 

Re: 2025 NBA PLAYOFFS West Semifinals: #1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #4 Denver Nuggets (Series tied 2-2) 

Post#60 » by Optms » Wed May 14, 2025 1:52 am

Jokic missing bunnies per usual

Return to The General Board