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NBA playoffs: Nuggets is withdrawn after the blowout in the game 3 OT Thriller to take over 2-1 lead before Thunder

NBA playoffs: Nuggets is withdrawn after the blowout in the game 3 OT Thriller to take over 2-1 lead before Thunder

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Denver – game 2 is a thing of the past.

After an outbreak of historical dimensions by the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Denver Nuggets received their serenity and their shape on Friday in an overtime victory of 113-104 in game 3 of the Western Conference.

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Denver gathered from a half-time deficit of 56-51, and Aaron Gordon scored a 3 pointer at 26.7 seconds to connect the game to 102.

The MVP finalists Shai Gilgeous-Aalexander and Nikola Jokić each had the chance to win him in regulation, but Gilgeous-Alexander missed a floater and Jokić's turnaround jumper than the time had expired.

Jokić replied with a layup to open overtime, which triggered a 7-0 nugget run and set the ball arena in frenzy. Michael Porter Jr. followed Jokić's bucket with a 3, and Jamal Murray gave the Nuggets a head start of 109-102 on a quick breakdown of thunder.

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A Thunder team that looked in game 2 like World Beater was ready. Gilgeous-Alexander fought over the route and a total of three points in the fourth quarter and the extension when the Nuggets took control. And the best team from the regular season was not answered in the extension.

The Nuggets keep the home advantage that you stole from thunder with a stunner of Donnern in game 1.

Nuggets jump back from the big loss

The victory for the Nuggets came after the defeat of 149-106 on Wednesday against Oklahoma City, in which the thunder set a playoff record with 87 points in the first half. But the margin of victory does not matter in the large scheme.

MVP candidate Nikola Jokić (15) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander did not have their best games on Friday evening. (Photo by Aaron Oniveroz/The Denver Post)

(Aaron Oniveroz about Getty Images)

Denvers two-point victory in game 1 and nine points in game 3 is sufficient to overcome the 43-point falling from Oklahoma City to control the series via No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.

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“It's just a loss,” said Nuggets coach David Adelman before the game on Friday about game 2. “I know that they broke records or whatever. But it is 1: 1. I didn't feel embarrassed. I felt great and we played badly. And it is sport, and sometimes it happens.”

Michael Porter Jr. appears

Michael Porter Jr. was disabled by a persistent shoulder injury on the street and a total of 10 points in Oklahoma City in games 1 and 2. At home in Denver he returned as an impact player, while he showed 21 points and eight rebounds and 5 out of 6 of 3 shot.

Porter's playoffs have so far been a case of festival or famine, and he has often been in pressure situations on Adelman's bank when he has to fight. But that wasn't the case on Friday evening. Porter led the nuggets at halftime with 15 points, which were led by his hot shooting from long -distance conversations.

In the crunch time he became familiar, and it paid off with his overtime 3 pointer, which sank the thunder.

Porter said that after the game he took lidocaine injections to deaf the pain in the shoulder, and that he did this again on Friday to deal with what he initially diagnosed as a 4-6-week injury. He still feels limited to be “able to play physically or pushing people as I would like.” But he could find his shot when Denver needed him the most.

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“I knew that there would be games where I couldn't produce as I wanted, or maybe I wouldn't be able, but they are the playoffs, and I wanted to get out there and at least try,” said Porter. “It was an up-and-down playoffs for me, but that's okay because we as a team are in a good position.”

Denvers supporting line -up overcomes Jokić's fights

Oklahoma City has successfully put Murray under pressure and used active hands inside to restrict the appearance near the basket and keep Jokić in check. It worked again on Friday evening. The thunder forced 14 Nuggets sales and nerve to Jokić for a large part of the game.

Jokić ended with 20 points, 16 rebounds and six templates. But he shot 8 out of 25 from the field, including a 0-to-10 effort of 3, which was the worst of his playoff career. He turned the ball eight times, also a career playoff.

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But the nuggets have overcome these fights, which partly a hot shooting evening of 3 (16 out of 40, 40%) thanks to Porter.

“The way you guard – and that's why you are one of the best defensive teams in the league, you are one of the best I have ever seen,” said Adelman after the game. “They take the color away. So we have to be able to put open shots down. And if Michael's shots make shots, it obviously makes the place so much larger or feels so much larger.”

In the end, Porter's edition was part of a balanced evaluation effort, in which four Nuggets starters scored over 20 points. Murray ended with 27 points at 9-of-19 shooting, and Gordon had 22 points, 4 out of 6 from 3-point range.

Aaron Gordon makes it a habit to hit Clutch Playoff shots. (Photo by Aaron Oniveroz/The Denver Post)

Aaron Gordon makes it a habit to hit Clutch Playoff shots. (Photo by Aaron Oniveroz/The Denver Post)

(Aaron Oniveroz about Getty Images)

Gordon comes up again

Gordon's 3-pointer to force overtime followed his game-winning Dunk, the Los Angeles Clipper in game 4 of the first round of Denver and his game winner 3 pointer in Denver in game 1.

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Clutch Gordon becomes a central theme of these playoffs.

“AG, he has to bring the angels with it,” said Porter after the game about Gordon. “I'm so proud of him.”

Murray rated Gordon's great shots of his preparation and commitment.

“I just think he's always ready and obviously he puts on the work to get there,” said Murray. “It is really proof of his whole life in manifestation, his already for thinking and dreaming of it.

“And when it is time to do it, you have done everything to prepare for such moments. AG is always ready for the moment.”

Donner, SGA looks vulnerable

After a 68-14 campaign of the regular season, there were in these playoffs times when the rise of thunder looked inevitable to NBA champions. Oklahoma City opened the post-season with a 51-point struggle of the grizzlies, in which she flirted with the greatest victory in playoff history.

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Then there was the 43-point victory on Wednesday against a Nuggets team with a core that won an NBA championship just two seasons ago. But for the second time in three games it was Denvers late play break that turned out to be a difference. The result is a series that the nuggets now control.

Oklahoma City had several chances of taking control on Friday. But Gilgeous-Alexander repeatedly made contested mid-range shots that bounced off the edge. Gilgeous-Alexander shot in the fourth quarter and in extension 1 of 8, including a goalless effort in the additional session. He ended the game with 18 points, 13 rebounds and 7 templates, but shot 7 out of 22 from the field and 1 of 6 of 3.

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It was not the kind of effort that Oklahoma City needs from a suspected MVP. Despite his fights, the thunder controlled several aspects of the game and had the chance to win. The thunder won the back battle (54-49), the sales battle (11 to 14) and had 19 further field trials than the nuggets (104-85). Jalen Williams was probably the best player on the square in 32 points.

But Denvers core of the former champions came up in the most important moments of the game and quickly brought the game to bed as soon as it came into extension.

“I think it depends on the fact that everyone holds together, keep each other responsible and accept criticism and go out there and just have a positive attitude,” said Murray.

“I think this type of way of thinking and everyone who is together can carry the weight for the upcoming things.”

Game 4 is planned on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET in Denver.

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