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Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, proper, drives to the basket as Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun defends in the second one part of Game 6 within the Western Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
OKLAHOMA CITY — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder have reached a second of reality.
The youngest staff in league historical past to win a minimum of 60 regular-season video games can validate that luck when it hosts Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets in Game 7 of the NBA Western Conference semifinals on Sunday.
READ: NBA: Nuggets’ Aaron Gordon unsure for Game 7 vs Thunder
It’s a large deal for a Thunder staff that misplaced to Dallas within the convention semifinals remaining yr because the No. 1 seed within the West.
“It’s do or die,” Gilgeous-Alexander mentioned after shedding Game 6 in Denver. “It’s what you live for, it’s what you worked your whole life for. It’s either your team continues or your dream ends. So, you lay it all out there on the floor and you live with the results.”
The winner advances to play Minnesota within the Western Conference finals, beginning Tuesday.
Thunder trainer Mark Daigneault mentioned the staff’s way is not going to alternate, even with all this is at stake. After all, Oklahoma City gained a league-best 68 video games within the steady season.
“It’s recurring themes that you just revisit in these situations, and if you need new material in these situations, then your material was wrong in the first place,” he mentioned.
READ: NBA: Sick Jamal Murray leads Nuggets previous Thunder to drive Game 7
Gilgeous-Alexander, an MVP finalist, has returned to shape after a gradual offensive get started within the collection. He is averaging 28.8 issues. 7.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists whilst capturing 51% from the sphere within the six video games.
Gilgeous-Alexander will face a Denver squad that gained the NBA name in 2023 and notched a Game 7 victory this season within the first spherical towards the Los Angeles Clippers.
“We’ve got to do what we’ve been doing in the series,” Denver period in-between trainer David Adelman mentioned. “We’ve got to hang early and then rely on our chemistry and the fact that we’ve been around each other for a long time. That’s where experience can really help you.”
READ: NBA: Thunder conquer Nuggets for 3-2 collection edge
Jokic, a three-time MVP and a finalist this yr, has had two nice video games within the collection and 3 which might be underneath his requirements. He had 42 issues and 22 rebounds in Game 1, a Nuggets win in Oklahoma City. He had 44 issues and 15 rebounds in a Game 5 loss.
In the 3 video games in between, he shot 33% from the sphere and his scoring reasonable dipped to 21.3.
One of Jokic’s maximum vital helpers may now not play. Adelman mentioned Aaron Gordon, a key participant for Denver all over the playoffs, shall be a game-time resolution with a left hamstring harm. The flexible 6-foot-8 ahead hit the dramatic sport winner in Game 1. He has averaged 14.5 issues and 9.2 rebounds within the collection whilst capturing 45% from 3-point vary.
Thunder ahead Chet Holmgren mentioned the Thunder gained’t concern about issues out in their regulate.
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“It’s going to come down to who’s willing to really execute and win each possession all throughout the game,” he mentioned. “You can’t worry about winning the game, you’ve got to win a possession first and then worry about the next one. That’s what we’ve we got to do, that’s what they’re going to try and do, and we’ve got to do (it) better.”
