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

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Who wins Game 5?

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

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

Post#1321 » by Infinite Llamas » Wed May 14, 2025 5:08 am

SpurNani wrote:
durden_tyler wrote:
SpurNani wrote:
Again, he said Lebron has never demanded out which is true, so that was a fail of a post by you.

Anyways back to the game.

Jokic has been good 2 out of 5 games this series.

Yes, sorry bolting out and quitting on his team is not the same as demanded out. LOL

To a fault, Euro players are too loyal, so not expecting Jokic to do a LeBron.


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Yea, Lebron “quit” in his last games in Cleveland vs when he put up 27/19/10 on his way out the door vs a Boston team w 3 maybe 4 hall of famers. If Jokic put up a statline like that, hundreds of his fan boys like you would be hailing him as the Goat and trashing everyone else on the team.


And you’re right, Jokic is loyal to a fault. Probably why he will retire with one ring and not touch the top 15 ATG players.

I give him 3-4 more years before he retires and goes back to Serbia. Nice little run he went on though. Won the weakest ring in recent memory in 20 years in 23, and then got eliminated in semifinals afterwards. Hope the kids remember him in 15 years.


Yeah, aside from Moses Malone, those dudes with 3 MVP’s get forgotten all the time.

Sometimes, it’s just the smart move to not hit the “submit” button.
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Re: 2025 NBA PLAYOFFS West Semifinals: #1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #4 Denver Nuggets (OKC leads 3-2) 

Post#1322 » by Jedi32 » Wed May 14, 2025 5:10 am

Not a popular opinion around here but I think SGA is the best player in the league and league mvp. With that being said, anyone trying to take a dump on jokic or the nuggets is crazy. They are a great team and the series isn't even over. Instead of talking down either side let's just hope for a great game 6.
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Re: 2025 NBA PLAYOFFS West Semifinals: #1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #4 Denver Nuggets (OKC leads 3-2) 

Post#1323 » by EmpireFalls » Wed May 14, 2025 5:10 am

Shai stepped up big time in the second half. He got out of his head and just started attacking early in the clock and lo and behold great things followed.

That’s their formula. OKC playing tentative is beatable. OKC playing purposeful and aggressive offense is unbeatable
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Re: 2025 NBA PLAYOFFS West Semifinals: #1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #4 Denver Nuggets (OKC leads 3-2) 

Post#1324 » by Wolfgang630 » Wed May 14, 2025 5:12 am

Jedi32 wrote:Not a popular opinion around here but I think SGA is the best player in the league and league mvp. With that being said, anyone trying to take a dump on jokic or the nuggets is crazy. They are a great team and the series isn't even over. Instead of talking down either side let's just hope for a great game 6.

SGA isn’t the best player in the league, but continue with your comments
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Re: 2025 NBA PLAYOFFS West Semifinals: #1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #4 Denver Nuggets (Series tied 2-2) 

Post#1325 » by Peregrine01 » Wed May 14, 2025 5:13 am

SpurNani wrote:
Wolfgang630 wrote:
HotRocks34 wrote:
Read on Twitter

Lmao “Jokic has help”


Jokic is the 4th QTR games 3-4 : 7 points, 3/13.

Dont make this a narrative like he’s done this all series. He’s been trash 3 out of 5 games.


Why are you so mad?
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Re: 2025 NBA PLAYOFFS West Semifinals: #1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #4 Denver Nuggets (OKC leads 3-2) 

Post#1326 » by durden_tyler » Wed May 14, 2025 5:14 am

EmpireFalls wrote:Shai stepped up big time in the second half. He got out of his head and just started attacking early in the clock and lo and behold great things followed.

That’s their formula. OKC playing tentative is beatable. OKC playing purposeful and aggressive offense is unbeatable

This, in a way, he played like a Jokic— rather than forced selfish shots, he actually played like a great game manager, found the right plays and found teammates! That’s what great players do, adjusting your game to whatever the defense gives and delivering!


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

Post#1327 » by Jedi32 » Wed May 14, 2025 5:15 am

Wolfgang630 wrote:
Jedi32 wrote:Not a popular opinion around here but I think SGA is the best player in the league and league mvp. With that being said, anyone trying to take a dump on jokic or the nuggets is crazy. They are a great team and the series isn't even over. Instead of talking down either side let's just hope for a great game 6.

SGA isn’t the best player in the league, but continue with your comments

To me he is. That's all that really matters so cope I guess.
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Re: 2025 NBA PLAYOFFS West Semifinals: #1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #4 Denver Nuggets (Series tied 2-2) 

Post#1328 » by SpurNani » Wed May 14, 2025 5:15 am

Peregrine01 wrote:
SpurNani wrote:
Wolfgang630 wrote:Lmao “Jokic has help”


Jokic is the 4th QTR games 3-4 : 7 points, 3/13.

Dont make this a narrative like he’s done this all series. He’s been trash 3 out of 5 games.


Why are you so mad?


Not mad at all.

I'm just trying to educate the Jokic fans who try to push the narrative like Jokic has been doing this all series. He hasn't.

3-13 in the 4th qtr games 2-4.
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Re: 2025 NBA PLAYOFFS West Semifinals: #1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #4 Denver Nuggets (Series tied 2-2) 

Post#1329 » by kdthunderup » Wed May 14, 2025 5:16 am

___Rand___ wrote:
Optms wrote:
___Rand___ wrote:
OKC has been tested. This game. This series. Their depth has saved their butt this series so far.


Denver is a flawed team. They have not yet faced a real team that puts the fear in them.


No, the result doesn't indicate where they failed the tests. OKC still can't handle "size" against or physicality against big men; their offense is too static unless they are getting transition points, and Daignault doesn't adjust well in game and takes too long to make adjustments to other team's defenses. OKC's depth bailed him out in the first 2 series. When they come up against another team with depth, they will have issues. But skilled bigs like Jokic are few. Minnesota's physicality could give them issues. Pacers are similar to OKC IMO - lots of wings and guards with skinny bigs inside but OKC's defense is on paper better. Knicks have Towns who could give Chet and Hartenstein issues but OKC probably can negate Brunson.

OKC have handled size reasonably well this season, but Denver is a completely different challenge. Jokic is by far the toughest big man to deal with defensively, and then you add Aaron Gordon, who's both strong and athletic, ollowed by MPJ. While MPJ has struggled offensively, his 6'10" frame has still disrupted OKC's driving lanes and forced OKC to shoot.

Our three-point shooting has been terrible throughout the playoffs, outside of a couple of games. That’s made our small-ball lineups which are usually effective in short bursts a lot less impactful against Denver’s size and physicality.

Minnesota will still be a tough matchup for OKC, but the size factor won’t be as much of an issue as it was against Denver. That said, Minnesota do have more depth they can throw at us compared to Denver.
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Re: 2025 NBA PLAYOFFS West Semifinals: #1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #4 Denver Nuggets (OKC leads 3-2) 

Post#1330 » by Infinite Llamas » Wed May 14, 2025 5:17 am

SpurNani wrote:
durden_tyler wrote:
SpurNani wrote:
Yea, Lebron “quit” in his last games in Cleveland vs when he put up 27/19/10 on his way out the door vs a Boston team w 3 maybe 4 hall of famers. If Jokic put up a statline like that, hundreds of his fan boys like you would be hailing him as the Goat and trashing everyone else on the team.


And you’re right, Jokic is loyal to a fault. Probably why he will retire with one ring and not touch the top 15 ATG players.

I give him 3-4 more years before he retires and goes back to Serbia. Nice little run he went on though. Won the weakest ring in recent memory in 20 years in 23, and then got eliminated in semifinals afterwards. Hope the kids remember him in 15 years.

Still more likable than LeBron when all is said and done. LOL


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Cool a guy with a weak username reference from a 1999 movie on a basketball forum finds Jokic more likable.

Move along.


It was a book before it was a film.

Not that I expect you to know that.

Based on your post history, there’s a lot of things I don’t expect you to know.
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Re: 2025 NBA PLAYOFFS West Semifinals: #1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #4 Denver Nuggets (OKC leads 3-2) 

Post#1331 » by SHAQ32 » Wed May 14, 2025 5:20 am

There really aren't any dominant teams in the league. Crazy, considering OKC won 68 games and Cleveland won 64.
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Re: 2025 NBA PLAYOFFS West Semifinals: #1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #4 Denver Nuggets (OKC leads 3-2) 

Post#1332 » by Castle Black » Wed May 14, 2025 5:21 am

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

Post#1333 » by Peregrine01 » Wed May 14, 2025 5:23 am

A crap load of attention is being paid to what Jokic is doing on offense and rightfully so. But outside of game 2, the guy’s defense in this series has been really, really good and I suspect the energy he’s had to spend on that end has hurt his offense to some degree.
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Re: 2025 NBA PLAYOFFS West Semifinals: #1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #4 Denver Nuggets (OKC leads 3-2) 

Post#1334 » by durden_tyler » Wed May 14, 2025 5:24 am

SHAQ32 wrote:There really aren't any dominant teams in the league. Crazy, considering OKC won 68 games and Cleveland won 64.

Best time to be a fan, especially for neutral ones, just game by game the narratives change. It’s beautiful.


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

Post#1335 » by Wolfgang630 » Wed May 14, 2025 5:25 am

Meta World Peace essentially blaming Jokic saying he needs to be in better shape and have more than 5 assists lmao
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Re: 2025 NBA PLAYOFFS West Semifinals: #1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #4 Denver Nuggets (OKC leads 3-2) 

Post#1336 » by DrModesty » Wed May 14, 2025 5:27 am

One thing that has marginalized Dort a bit this series is Jokic being one of the great screeners. Dort is an elite screen buster, but Jokic is extremely wide and strong, and Murray in particular curls around him very tightly.
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Re: 2025 NBA PLAYOFFS West Semifinals: #1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #4 Denver Nuggets (Series tied 2-2) 

Post#1337 » by Castle Black » Wed May 14, 2025 5:27 am

mtron929 wrote:It's the depth of OKC that is making the difference. The Nuggets are exhausted come 4th quarter and they just cannot keep up. The GM of the OKC is the MVP here.


That's been the narrative but the reality is Joker is surrounded by a lot of bad basketball players. Guys who have no business being on the floor in an NBA Playoff game. They're missing the majority of these wide open looks when they have fresh legs. It's not fatigue, they just suck.

If you were to replace Westbrook and Braun with 2 knockdown shooters, Denver wins this series comfortably. That's literally all it would take. Instead, Jokic is surrounded by bums who can't hit an open shot to save their lives. And two of their starters (Murray & MPJ) are absolutely horrific defenders. So whatever points they give you (none from MPJ) on the offensive end, they give it right back on the defensive end.

Jokic is literally the easiest player ever to build around and they have the worst supporting cast imaginable around him. It's unreal.
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Re: 2025 NBA PLAYOFFS West Semifinals: #1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #4 Denver Nuggets (OKC leads 3-2) 

Post#1338 » by Mephariel » Wed May 14, 2025 5:29 am

I am not going to say Nuggets win the series but as long as Jokic is playing, OKC is in danger zone every second of their lives.
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Re: 2025 NBA PLAYOFFS West Semifinals: #1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #4 Denver Nuggets (OKC leads 3-2) 

Post#1339 » by Pelon chingon » Wed May 14, 2025 5:30 am

durden_tyler wrote:
Pelon chingon wrote:I still got Denver winning the series.

That’s brave. Let’s see your level of confidence on that prediction; $10, $100 or $1000?


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I don't wager. Crazy how mainstream sports betting is becoming. Turns fans into degenerates IMO.
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Re: 2025 NBA PLAYOFFS West Semifinals: #1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #4 Denver Nuggets (OKC leads 3-2) 

Post#1340 » by DrModesty » Wed May 14, 2025 5:31 am

Also I thought Murray had a pretty good game. It should be remembered that he is facing an unreal perimeter defense with elite guard defenders all over the place and where even the OKC bigs have good positional mobility. His run in the third quarter almost killed the game for OKC. Lu Dort settled the nerves by stepping up in a huge moment. Dort has come through in big moments before, which is why the coaching staff trust him so much.

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