Three keys to Thunder beating Nuggets in Game 7

Heading into Sunday, the Oklahoma City Thunder are facing a win-or-go-home situation. Mark Daigneault's team will face the Denver Nuggets in Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals.

Oklahoma City came into this season among the favorites to win a championship. Sam Presti has slowly built one of the most exciting young rosters in the NBA, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's development into a perennial MVP candidate has turbo-charged the team's rise. 

With a spot in the Western Conference Finals up for grabs, here are three keys to the Thunder securing what would be a huge win. 

No. 1 Bait the rim  

The Nuggets come into Sunday's game averaging 62.3 percent around the rim, placing them last among all teams that made it into the postseason despite their high frequency of attempts. The Thunder sit second in the NBA for rim defense, limiting opponents to 59.6 percent shooting within four feet of the basket. It makes sense, then, that Oklahoma should bait the Nuggets into attacking downhill. It's a weak point of David Adelman's team, and one the Thunder can exploit with a smart defensive scheme. 

No. 2 Push the pace 

Oklahoma City is among the best transition teams in the postseason. The Thunder generate fast break opportunities from both steals and rebounds due to their willingness to get out and attack the open court. The Nuggets, on the other hand, have the worst transition defense in the NBA. They ranked 30th for the regular season and are last in the postseason. If the Thunder can make this game a foot race, the Nuggets will be out of contention way before the final buzzer.

No. 3 Let Shai Gilgeous-Alexander go wild 

There's no doubt that Nikola Jokic will be the best player on the floor. However, Gilgeous-Alexander has an advantage against the Nuggets, as his style of play directly attacks Denver's weakest points. Daigneault would be smart to allow his star guard free rein in how he sets up the offense and exploits gaps in the Denver defense. Sunday's game could be a legacy outing for Gilgeous-Alexander if he plays to his full potential.