Nuggets Rally for Thrilling Victory in Playoff Opener Against Thunder

After falling behind by 14 in Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinal match, the Denver Nuggets made an exhilarating comeback. Aaron Gordon’s two clutch free throws with 11 seconds left brought Denver within one point. Denver then fouled Chet Holmgren on the next possession, giving the Thunder big man a chance to secure the lead. He missed both free throws, providing the Nuggets a crucial opportunity to execute a full-court play for a game-changing moment.

Clearly, Gordon was not content with any ordinary finish these playoffs.

“I’ve spent years honing my jumper,” Gordon said to the press following the victory, “It’s incredible to have it culminate in a winning shot. We seized the moment but know this is just the beginning.”

Christian Braun snagged the rebound from Holmgren’s miss and quickly passed it to Russell Westbrook. Instead of a frantic drive, Westbrook fired a laser across the court to Gordon, sprinting towards the 3-point line. Gordon stopped and launched a massive three-pointer that swished through the net, giving Denver a lead of two points with just 2.8 seconds left. The Thunder, out of timeouts, could only muster a desperate half-court heave by Jalen Williams, sealing their fate in a stunning 121-119 defeat.

“In the playoffs, opportunities are precious,” interim coach David Adelman stated after the game. “This was our moment to shine, stay present and persistent.”

Gordon ended the night with 22 points, made 7 out of 15 shots, and snagged 14 rebounds—half of which were offensive—in 39 minutes. This victory handed the No. 1 seed Thunder their first loss of the 2025 playoffs and shifted home-court advantage to the Nuggets in this best-of-seven series.

Jokić Edges Out SGA in Battle of MVP Candidates

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokić demonstrated why they are top contenders for the MVP award, continually dismantling defensive strategies aimed at them. While SGA impressed with 33 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals, and a block, it was Jokić who made history yet again in the postseason.

Despite several teammates struggling against the Thunder’s elite defense, Jokić stepped up, tallying an impressive 42 points on 15-for-29 shooting along with 22 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 blocks, and a steal. He joined elite company by becoming the fifth player to achieve 40 points, 20 rebounds, and 5 assists in a playoff game.

Jokić scored 18 of his 42 points in the final quarter, relentlessly attacking the Thunder’s defense to chip away at their lead. His clutch pull-up 3-pointer against Isaiah Hartenstein’s defense narrowed the gap further, causing visible anxiety in the Thunder fanbase.

Gilgeous-Alexander valiantly met the challenge, adding 13 of his 33 points in the decisive quarter, highlighted by a difficult step-back three over Gordon and an inbound dunk giving OKC a late three-point advantage.

However, an ill-timed foul by Alex Caruso on the Denver inbounds put Gordon at the line, allowing Denver to inch closer without any time wasted. Gordon’s calm conversion set the stage for the dramatic unfolding that followed.

Coming off a grueling series against the Clippers, Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray’s chemistry was apparent from the start, quickly racking up 16 points to give Denver an initial edge.

Playing with intense defensive pressure and capitalizing on Thunder errors, the Nuggets looked to strike on fast breaks. While Oklahoma City occasionally countered their blunders, it wasn’t always enough.

The Nuggets thrived in early aggressive play, scoring eight points on fast breaks. Yet, Oklahoma City, leaning on their top-tier defense, managed to reclaim momentum with an 11-2 run, taking a 27-26 lead after the first quarter.

OKC stretched their advantage as both MVP hopefuls caught a breather starting the second period. Caruso’s tenacious play catapulted them further, intercepting a pass from Murray to set up Cason Wallace’s fast-break layup and swatting away Murray’s transition shot. He continued by hitting two 3-pointers and assisting another, marking a night where he contributed 20 points, five steals, six assists, and two blocks in just 26 minutes of action from the bench.

Denver Pursues a Championship Quest

Heading into Game 1, the Nuggets’ defensive agenda was clear: disrupt the Thunder’s offense by heavily focusing on Gilgeous-Alexander and daring secondary players to shoot, as they’d done with Kris Dunn in their previous series. This strategy effectively pushed players like Caruso and Dort into taking as many attempts as the rest of the Thunder combined, resulting in a mere 7-of-24 from three in the first half and a paltry half-court efficiency of 90.9 in their offensive efforts.

The challenge for Denver, however, was confining the Thunder to half-court sets; unfortunately, seven out of their nine early turnovers were live ball, leading to 15 Thunder points. OKC excelled with over 1.5 points per transition possession, and with most Nuggets apart from Jokić and Murray shooting at a poor rate, the Thunder managed a 60-50 halftime lead despite misfiring.

Caruso started strong in the second half in place of Hartenstein, maintaining his game-altering presence. Despite this, Denver’s offense came alive with 35 third-quarter points by dominating the offensive boards—scoring 12 second-chance points from nine offensive rebounds—closing the third on a 17-8 run and entering the final quarter trailing by just five.

Yet, Caruso again opened the fourth with a 3-pointer and a steal, keeping Denver at bay, if only temporarily.

The Thunder struggled to put the Nuggets away. Every time they stretched the lead, Denver answered back—with a timely Gordon 3-pointer, a Braun layup, Gordon free throws, or Jokić powering through to sustain their fight. This resilience culminated in Denver finishing with a remarkable 19-6 run.

When Westbrook, boasting 18 points on efficient shooting, missed a crucial corner 3-pointer that would’ve pushed Denver ahead late in the game, it appeared their comeback effort was thwarted. Gordon’s attempt was blocked, and Caruso collected the ball, seemingly closing the chapter on Denver’s rally. Yet, like the opening chapter of this series, the saga of this matchup had just begun.

With this win, the away teams are undefeated in the second round, joining Indiana’s victory over Cleveland and New York’s upset of Boston.

Game 2 of the Nuggets-Thunder series is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. ET Wednesday in Oklahoma City.