Thunder-Nuggets: 5 snack bars, as Denvers other stars in the game 3 victory

Denver – When this game went in the first half, a competitive third, tense fourth and up-for-grave overtime period, a very important question asked for a answer:

Which team would save his Kia MVP candidate?

Nikola Jokić and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are two finalists for the award, whose winners could be unveiled next week, but both fought in game 3 of their western semi-final, which freaked on Friday.

And in an even more unlikely scenario, it was the Denver Nuggets that crumbled routinely when Jokić is either on the bench or on the mischief that exceeded the deeper Thunder in Oklahoma City when he counted.

Therefore, the best-of-Seven has a leader and the nuggets are 2-1 with game 4 (Sun., 3:30 et on ABC) also in the ball arena after a decision of 113-104. They overwhelmed the thunder in the additional time and, due to a reversal of the 13 points, scored 11 of the total-was Jokić's team-mate, who instead of reverse.

“It was so close that we only stay tuned,” said Michael Porter Jr. the Nuggets.

Here are five snack bars from the victory of the Nuggets and the top seed Thunder, who won 68 games this season and saw the first round.

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1. Jokić lost his rhythm, never found him

He can be committed to being the best player in the league of the past half decades or more. And he is a three -time Kia MVP. So it seems like that – strange? – When Jokić looks like him, not only Friday, but also game 2.

Maybe it's just a phase, a temporary Blip. Whatever it is, the nuggets cannot expect to take over a bigger lead in this series or even win another game unless Jokić grabs this spell.

You were lucky on Friday. Gilgeous-Alexander was just as cold and the nuggets made all big games on the track. Can you rely on it again if Jokić is only common?

He missed all 10 of his 3 Series and obviously lost confidence because he started to give the chances. After his last failure at the buzzer of the fourth quarter, he went on the bench and screamed frustrated.

But there are also eight sales (including an obvious double drid) and missed a few rabbits. It wasn't nice. It wasn't Jokić.

“20, 16 and six,” said Nugget's interim coach David Adelman, quoted Joker's statistics and was then dead. “Only a terrible NBA night.”

Make this a terrible Jokić night, according to his crazy standards that we expected. There is a difference. After scored 1 42 epic points in game, he combined the next two for 37.

His trainer has the solution.

“Just continue to shoot the ball,” said Adelman.

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2. Murray is money

Jamal Murray was the best Canadian baller on the floor, which was rich, considering that he shared it with a member of the national team, might win the MVP.

Murray, together with Christian Braun, was one of the main defenders of Gilgeous-Alexander, and what made his role more impressive was the border. Murray burned 48 minutes and still had enough energy to make the problems of Jokić offensive and to pull Jalen Williams in OT for an outlier layup that increased the seven.

Murray ended with 27 points, eight templates, four steals and only one pair of sales as he recorded all of these minutes. But he had company …

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3. Aaron Gordon deserves another “A” to his name

The biggest shot of the night belonged to the one otherwise the same player with a game-winning Dunk and a 3 pointer in this post-season. Aaron Gordon is the answer.

And yes, with OKC three points and 28 seconds in the regulation, the ball belonged to him, not Jokić, not even Murray, who has a story of great off -season shots. Gordon sank the corner 3 to force OT and to join Tyrese Haliburton and Jalen Brunson as the Clutch-Last players this spring.

In fact, after the game on Friday, not only in the last minute, Gordon managed to play after the game. Whenever the nuggets had to struggle, he came through either with a basket or a rebound in traffic or a defensive stop. His line: 22 points, eight rebounds, five templates.

“AG was amazing in these playoffs,” said Porter. “We don't win three games without taking these recordings.”

Murray said: “He's just always ready. You dream of it and when the time comes for it, you are prepared for it.”

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4. Shai shrinked down the route

It was rarely seen and cannot be observed again for a while. The heart-and-soul of the Thunder, who lives from efficiency, simply fell apart in the fourth quarter and extension.

Shai missed seven of his eight shots in the fourth. He couldn't even try one in OT. This from the leading goal scorer of the league, which in 2024-25 simply could not be stopped one to one.

In this cool fourth quarter, Shai repeatedly fed all night over Williams – by far the most striking player for OKC, who scored 16 points. And most of these recordings, including the last for OKC, were controversial, whereby Braun was a solid defense. It may be instinctive for Shai, or his ego told him that the next shot would be. Well, it didn't.

Shai had problems making space with his forearm, which is his characteristic movement. The nuggets are also creative and hesitant when the double team throws, and this strategy worked on Friday.

And the nuggets were also smarter: Shai only took five free throws, since Braun mainly did not fell on the counterfeits and used lean-ins Shai to contact.

“Nothing is written,” said Shai. “The series is not over yet. I have the opportunity in the next game and the game afterwards to compensate for it. I am optimistic and we have to be much optimistic.”

Adelman also suspects that something comes:

“He will be great in game 4.”

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5. Jalen Williams worried Denver

He had the nuggets on his heels all night, worried about his pull-up jumper, his dribble game, his ability to attack and reach the edge.

However, that was not Shai. Williams was the problem that constantly attacks the nuggets and forced them to reorganize their strategy to double Shai.

He ended with 32 points, his playoff career and kept OKC in the fourth quarter in the fourth quarter. Before it was Chet Holmgren who was the attacker. He ended with 18 points, 16 rebounds and three blocks and, together with Isaiah Hartenstein, made the Joker fight.

But Holmgren very much ended the thunder – in the fourth quarter he only had two points and OT. And now OKC is suddenly pressed on a win to prevent this series and maybe the season if you take seriously hard turn.

If the nuggets win on Sunday and climb 3: 1 … what then?

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Shaun Powell has covered the NBA for more than 25 years. You can send him an email Here you will find his archive here and follow him X.

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