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

nbafan38 · Post #201 » by **nbafan38** » Sun May 18, 2025 4:18 pm

Blame Rasho wrote:
jc23 wrote:just feels like Denver has finally run out of steam. they have been playing a short rotation that wore their key players down and now with Gordon out its a death blow. id rather see two healthy teams in the wcf. Unless Denver can add more depth in the off season i can see the same ending next year.

I fully expect a blowout, but have the Thunder ever been put in the fire? I know SGA will come to play, it is everyone else that we should be concerned about.

Agree i'm concerned about their playoff performances and even SGA hasn't looked great in this series. They did show some grit in game 5 though down the stretch.

Castle Black · Post #202 » by **Castle Black** » Sun May 18, 2025 4:18 pm

Woof. Denver is cooked. Their defense falls off a cliff without Gordon.

Read on Twitter

1bigfan13 · Post #203 » by **1bigfan13** » Sun May 18, 2025 4:28 pm

nbafan38 wrote:
1bigfan13 wrote:I have no clue how the Thunder are favored by 8.5. I have to give the edge to the Nuggets tomorrow.

I have a lot more faith in the Nuggets #2 guy (Murray) showing up than I do OKC's (Jalen Williams).

If Gordon manages to play, I think even on one leg he'd outperform Williams.

The only way I see the Thunder winning is if one of the bench guys goes off for 20+ points.

I agree with this in terms of Jokic+Murray >> SGA+JW but I think the thunder depth especially in this spot at home with the nuggets banged up is a big advantage.

Being an OKC fan I hope you're right. But I can easily see the nerves of a Game 7 negating the home court and health advantages the Thunder have.

JDub has looked/played nervous most of the series. Lots of airballs and shots barely touching the rim on shots he routinely made during the regular season.

The only three players who I fully trust going into this game are SGA, Caruso, and Dort. Everyone else is a wildcard, IMO.

Wallace_Wallace · Post #204 » by **Wallace_Wallace** » Sun May 18, 2025 4:32 pm

Now that Denver (with a healthy Jokic & Murray) knows its baseline is a 2nd round exit, this offseason their front office needs to work on their depth in order to make sure their main core doesn’t limp into the playoffs.

nbafan38 · Post #205 » by **nbafan38** » Sun May 18, 2025 4:39 pm

Castle Black wrote:Woof. Denver is cooked.

Read on Twitter

I don't think dont think Denver can win this game. The only way they can hang in and possibly steal is if it the moment is too big for OKC and they choke (again i don't really expect this but with a young team not impossible).

GeorgeSears · Post #206 » by **GeorgeSears** » Sun May 18, 2025 4:43 pm

The reality is that even if the Nuggets pull off the upset - which would require a total Thunder collapse - they would have to play the TWolves without Gordon for the entire series.

It was fun while it lasted. This team has been a roller coaster all year. I'm hopeful for the future of the team now that Malone is gone.

bbms · Post #207 » by **bbms** » Sun May 18, 2025 4:46 pm

Dadouv47 wrote:Wolves fans praying for a free pass to the Finals.

which is totally in vain there's no free pass to get from this game

nbafan38 · Post #208 » by **nbafan38** » Sun May 18, 2025 4:51 pm

bbms wrote:
Dadouv47 wrote:Wolves fans praying for a free pass to the Finals.

which is totally in vain there's no free pass to get from this game

Agree people jump ahead way too far. Anything can happen, Gordon could come back early, Anthony Edwards could get hurt (hopefully not) but like we've seen in these playoffs anything is possible.

stoo · Post #209 » by **stoo** » Sun May 18, 2025 4:59 pm

let's see who the real MVP is

Sharkboy242 · Post #210 » by **Sharkboy242** » Sun May 18, 2025 5:06 pm

So no AG?

Yeah were cooked. GGs.

Post #211 » by **Dadouv47** » Sun May 18, 2025 5:07 pm

nbafan38 wrote:
bbms wrote:
Dadouv47 wrote:Wolves fans praying for a free pass to the Finals.

which is totally in vain there's no free pass to get from this game

Agree people jump ahead way too far. Anything can happen, Gordon could come back early, Anthony Edwards could get hurt (hopefully not) but like we've seen in these playoffs anything is possible.

of course anything is possible but not a single wolves fan would rather face OKC than the Nuggets with AG likely out for a month.

OldSchoolNoBull · Post #212 » by **OldSchoolNoBull** » Sun May 18, 2025 5:16 pm

I don't love seeing these Nuggets fans conceding already. FFS don't give up before the game has even started.

OverAndOut · Post #213 » by **OverAndOut** » Sun May 18, 2025 5:17 pm

Yeah, all of my interest in this game is gone now.

Sharkboy242 · Post #214 » by **Sharkboy242** » Sun May 18, 2025 5:19 pm

OldSchoolNoBull wrote:I don't love seeing these Nuggets fans conceding already. FFS don't give up before the game has even started.

And give the Wolves an easy WCF?

Nah. Im officially a Thunder boy.

bbms · Post #215 » by **bbms** » Sun May 18, 2025 5:25 pm

Dadouv47 wrote:
nbafan38 wrote:
bbms wrote:
which is totally in vain there's no free pass to get from this game

Agree people jump ahead way too far. Anything can happen, Gordon could come back early, Anthony Edwards could get hurt (hopefully not) but like we've seen in these playoffs anything is possible.

of course anything is possible but not a single wolves fan would rather face the Nuggets with AG likely out for a month.

man after i took a good look in the numbers, even without ag, i seriously doubt the t-wolves can replicate that level of shutdown defense the thunder has done

nuggets might be favourites to win it all if they win g7. clippers is already a better scalp than both lakers and gsw.

Mamba81p · Post #216 » by **Mamba81p** » Sun May 18, 2025 5:37 pm

Castle Black wrote:Woof. Denver is cooked. Their defense falls off a cliff without Gordon.

Read on Twitter

Jokic can't anchor a defense, so Gordon is probably the second most important player on the team, unless bubble Murray shows up.
He is almost irreplaceable for the nuggets, and certainly nobody on the roster does what he can do.
They could win 1 game but in the next series they are toast

Doranku · Post #217 » by **Doranku** » Sun May 18, 2025 5:41 pm

Very strange to see Nuggets fans admitting defeat and actively rooting against their team? If they win this game, they can win a ring even without Gordon. Minneosta, Knicks, and Indiana are all much worse teams than OKC.

Thaddy · Post #218 » by **Thaddy** » Sun May 18, 2025 5:41 pm

The others need to have good games for the Nuggets to win. Jokic will be Jokic, but the Nuggets supporting cast is weak. If MPJ, Murray, Braun, and Russ have good games then OKC is finished.

Chuck Everett · Post #219 » by **Chuck Everett** » Sun May 18, 2025 5:45 pm

Doranku wrote:Very strange to see Nuggets fans admitting defeat and actively rooting against their team? If they win this game, they can win a ring even without Gordon. Minneosta, Knicks, and Indiana are all much worse teams than OKC.

Without Aaron Gordon, there is no way they can beat Minnesota, then Indiana/New York in the NBA Finals. Those series would be toss-ups even at full strength.

Snake3 · Post #220 » by **Snake3** » Sun May 18, 2025 5:45 pm

Doranku wrote:Very strange to see Nuggets fans admitting defeat and actively rooting against their team? If they win this game, they can win a ring even without Gordon. Minneosta, Knicks, and Indiana are all much worse teams than OKC.

I think it's matchup.

Like the Wolves matchup better with Denver.

Like I don't think the Denver could do to the Cavs like the Pacers did. But I do think if the Pacers go to the finals, they would lose to Denver if they get there.

Denver could beat OKC, but I think they are going to lose to the Wolves.

If OKC wins, I think they are going all the way barring injury.

Who wins the BIG ASS GAME 7??