Los Nuggets They did not miss the opportunity and They bent the Thunder (119-107) To tie the semifinal of the West Conference (3-3) and force the seventh and definitive meeting that will take place this Sunday in Oklahoma (21.30 h). The Ball Arena de Denver, complete They have played every two days since April 29.
The other three proper names of the triumph of the Nuggets were the everlasting Nikola Jokicwhich stroked triple-double with 27 points (8/11 T2, 1/3 T3 and 8/10 TL), 14 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 rebounds and a cap in 40 minutes; Jamal Murray (25+8+7); Christian Braun (21+10+5+3 robberies and 3/6 triples), the youngest in the history of the franchise in doing at least 20+10+5+3; And the surprising Julian Strawhterunexpected but also decisive with 15 points and 3/4 triples).
The febrile and historical Jamal Murray, determining
Special mention in victory deserves Jamal Murray, who on the eve was discarded suffering from fever And he was discharged just 45 minutes before the game. The Canadian, it is not known if even in a feverish state, It was the lighthouse in the first part of his teamthat with him on the court he recorded a +28. And it is the only player in the history of the NBA which averages at least 25 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 40% in triples in playoffs. Impressive theirs.
It was also decisive, as almost always, The 'Joker', with another very solid game and a key irruption in the last quarter to establish the final distance (102-88 to 6:04) With five points in a row (triple included). And the anonymous hero was The Alternate Strawhter, who with two triples and a basket led a 10-0 key partial in the third act (90-80)advantage that nuggets would no longer lose only 8 players and lost in the end Aaron Gordon for an injury In the thigh.
Opposite, The Thunder lived almost only and exclusively from the production of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Author of 32 points (9/12 T2, 2/44 T3 and 8/11 TL), 3 rebounds and 6 assists, which this time only found the accompaniment of Chet Holmgren With 19 points (6/7 T2, 2/7 T3 and 1/3 TL), 11 rebounds, an assistance, a robbery and a plug.
Shai's premature personal offenses, keys
However, Those of Oklahoma were harmed by the premature fourth staff of the Canadian in the second actwhat the Nuggets took advantage of to match the crash first and then to delay. Two years and five months ago (since October 2022) that the Canadian did not commit four fouls in a first part. And went to do them at the worst moment.
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The nuggets took the initiative in the first quarter with Murray and Braun very active and Jokic in their line (30-20, at 2:59). Shai, almost always, led the reaction of the Thunder, and next to Holmgren He commanded a arreón to establish, after a triple of Holmgren himself, The maximum in favor of your team (46-58, 2 minutes from the break).
Shai fourth, turning point
Then the play that was going to change the sign of the game happened By incurring Shai in his fourth personal foul (clear when he tried to steal a ball to Jokic) forcing Daigneault to sit his star. And without the Canadian, who already had 14 points, Denver signed a 12-0 partial to tie (58-58).
After the break He returned to the Shai court With a backpack of his four fouls, but they did not weigh and With six points he put his team ahead (66-69)before returning to the bench to protect him from his faults, which nuggets took Murray (9 points in this room), Jokic and two triples and a basket of the surprising Strawhter for a 10-0 (90-80) already with Shai on the court.
The 'Joker' bursts to give the lace
At the beginning of the last act, with Jokic resting, the nuggets established their maximum income after a triple of Murraytwo points of Westbrook and two free throws of Strawhter (97-88, a 7:53). He had just returned the 'Joker' to court, and did it big with His first triple in the game (1/3), a rebound and a basket To put another maxim on the scoreboard (102-88 a 6:04).
Los Thunder They had tried to fix the mess Finding everything to its shot of the perimeter, but its accurate null (up to 13 triples followed) sank them even more in the mud after Two free and triple Strawhter, unexpected hero with 15 points and 3/4 triplesin the final arreon (109-93 a 3:56). Oklahoma cut differences with two robberies followed by Carusotwo counterattacks of Shai and a 2+1 of Holmgren (111-102 a 1:52).
Jokic abrupt the triumph of Denver
But Jokicalways crucial in the decisive moments, he was fusing his team's triumph again with Two free throws at 1:14 from the end (113-102) and two others after a triple Caruso To certify the victory of some nuggets that won the right to play the seventh and definitive series of the series In Oklahoma this Sunday from 9:30 p.m.
First of all, you have to recognize the merit to Denver: tonight they gave a hard blow
“First of all, you have to recognize the merit to Denver: Tonight they gave a hard blow, as has happened in the series; Both teams are exchanging blows “Said the Thunder coach, Mark Daigneault. “They got theirs tonight, and Both teams have done a great job when recoveringincluding us, and we have to do it on Sunday. “
