Thunder Look To Send The Nuggets Home In Game 7 Clash

The Nuggets force a Game 7. The series has shifted back to Denver for game 6 in what has been a very intense battle between a one and a four seed. Only 18 games separated the two in the regular season and both teams have a bonafide superstar. Would the Denver Nuggets force a game seven, or would the young Thunder show why they were the number one seed?

Nuggets Keep It Close In First Half

The first team to score in quarter one was the Thunder when Isaiah Hartenstein hit a 10-foot jump shot with the assist coming from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at the 11:29 mark. The first minutes of the first quarter would go back and forth with the score at the 8:06 mark would be tied at 11 after two free throws from Jamal Murray.

The Nuggets would be the first team to earn a ten-point lead when Christian Braun hit a three-pointer from 24 feet out with the assist coming from Aaron Gordon to make it 30-20 at the 2:59 mark of quarter one. The Thunder would dwindle that lead to just three by the end of the first quarter with the score being Nuggets up 31-28.

The Nuggets’ Peyton Watson would be the first player to score in the second quarter with a layup. Both teams would spend the first minutes of the second scoring back and forth with no team taking a big lead. The largest lead of the second quarter would be by the Thunder getting an 11-point lead at the 2:58 mark after Gilgeous-Alexander hit one of two free throws.

It would look as if the Thunder would take a nice lead into halftime but that would not be the case with the Nuggets tying the game on a Christian Braun three-pointer with the assist coming from Jamal Murray with only 19 seconds left in quarter two.

The Thunders Luguentz Dort would rush down to hit a three-pointer from 24 feet out with the assist coming from Jalen Williams to make the halftime score 61-58 Thunder leading.

Second Half

The second half started with Nikola Jokic making a layup at the 11:06 mark. This half would be just like the rest of the series, with either team taking control. The score would be 76-75 with the Thunder leading at the 5:58 mark of the third quarter.

Julian Strawther would hit a three at the 1:38 mark with the assist coming from Jamal Murray. This would start a run by the Nuggets of 10 unanswered points by the Thunder making the score 90-80 with 6.8 seconds left in the third quarter. The Thunder would hit two free throws before the end of the quarter making it 90-82 with only one quarter left.

The Nuggets would not let the Thunder get back in front the rest of the game. The Thunder would not get within eight points of the Nuggets; the final score would be 119-107.  The series is now tied at three games apiece, with the series heading back to Oklahoma City.

Final Thoughts

The Nuggets players fought and earned the right to play in a game seven on Sunday. The player of game six for me was Jokic with 29 points, 14 rebounds, and eight assists in 41 minutes of play. I think this series will come down to which team can score more points behind the arc. On Sunday, one of these teams will move on to play in the Western Conference Finals and be only eight wins from an NBA Title. Stay up to date on all things NBA Playoffs on Total Apex Sports.