A Game 7 Loss Would be a Massive Disappointment for OKC Thunder

"Game Seven" is often called the best two words one could hear in the sports world. Depending on if you have stock in one of those special scenarios, your mind might think differently on that saying.

Sunday afternoon decides everything for the Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets. Each game has differing results and incredible performances, but ultimately, the weight of the series comes down to this.

The Nuggets are used to this. Once the 2023 NBA Champions, they've remained a force in the Western Conference behind perennial MVP Nikola Jokic. Just last series, they took down an experienced LA Clippers team in another Game 7.

In the Thunder's case, it's the second year that this iteration has competed for a championship. Last season, its second-round loss to the Dallas Mavericks was rather disappointing, but not anything to diminish what trajectory the franchise was headed in. Against Denver, there's a different story.

The 2025 version of Oklahoma City carries far more expectations than it did just a year ago. It's back to the top seed in the Western Conference for the second-straight year, improving from 57 regular season wins to 68. Last run was the trial, this is when results need to start showing.

Failing to advance to the second round again wouldn't completely dampen the future of what the Thunder has in store, but it certainly would be a blimp on an otherwise impressive campaign. Defeating Jokic isn't any easy task — though all things considered, the Nuggets aren't exactly a deep roster.

The path to the NBA Finals is relatively more open than most years. If Oklahoma City were to reach the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2016, it would match up against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Out of the Eastern Conference, it's down to just two teams, also without recent championship success: the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers.

The Thunder has built itself into a team that should advance further than it did last season. All of the highs that this team has enjoyed throughout the regular season would all be left irrelevant in disappointment.

Game 7 is Oklahoma City's final chance to make the push.