Clank! Nuggets and Thunder mix for record-tying 25 issues in first quarter

DENVER — The Denver Nuggets and Oklahoma City Thunder could not get up their drowsing offences in an early Game 4 tip on Sunday, leading to a record-tying dangerous begin to an NBA playoff recreation.

The groups blended for 25 issues to open the sport, matching the checklist for fewest in a primary quarter.

The rating after 12 mins of motion: Thunder 17, Nuggets 8. The final time two groups blended for that low of a rating after the hole length was once May 20, 1999, when Portland led Utah 14-11.

Detroit (16) and Toronto (9) additionally blended for simply 25 on April 21, 2002.

With such a lot of misses, clanks and airballs, it seemed directly out of a Sunday morning pickup recreation on the rec middle. The Thunder and Nuggets blended for 8-for-44 taking pictures. That’s 18.2 consistent with cent.

It was once even worse from farther out. Denver was once 0 for 14 from 3-point vary, whilst the Thunder had been 1 of 11.

Both coaches maintained earlier than the sport the early get started — simply after 1:30 p.m. native time — would not make a lot of a distinction.

“It’s the same time for them. It’s the same rest for them,” Thunder trainer Mark Daigneault stated. “Neither team is at an advantage or disadvantage with that. We really don’t think about it. It’s an equal playing field today for both teams.”

Both groups blended for extra turnovers (9) than made baskets (8) within the first quarter. There had been such a lot of misses that Nikola Jokic had six rebounds within the opening body, whilst Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren every had 5.