NBA-Playoffs: Dark starting thouses nuggets as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads the Thunder rally in game 4

Denver-Ein 3-1 lead was in Denvers on Sunday.

But a first quarter of the first quarter of the Nuggets and a strong proximity of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Bank of Oklahoma City turned out to be too much that Denver had overcome 92-87 Thunder.

In the first quarter, the Nuggets only managed eight points in an opening stanza, in which both teams were bugged out of the gates. Denver finally found his offensive rhythm and entered the fourth quarter with a lead of six points.

But an 11: 0 Thunder run sucked the air from a previously frenetic ball arena. The nuggets became cold again and missed several free throws on the track when the thunder held the series 2-2.

Gilgeous-Alexander led Oklahoma City with 25 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals. Nikola Jokić scored 27 points, 13 rebounds, 3 assists and 4 steals in the loss efforts. Jokić scored 7 out of 22 when the oppressive defense of Oklahoma City continued to use him.

SGA closes strongly after fighting in game 3

The thunder lost the 3-3 game on Friday when Gilgeous-Alexander faded out of the field in the fourth quarter and overtime together with 1: 8 effort. There was no fading from OKCS MVP candidates on Sunday.

Alexander led the climb of the Thunder in the fourth quarter with seven eight points from Oklahoma City during a critical route of the fourth quarter, which the nuggets kept in chess. A hard step backwards expanded the Oklahoma City's lead to 83-78.

An aggressive journey to the tire again expanded the tour to 88-81 with 2:23 and thwarted Denvers hopes for a rally.

When the game was finished, Gilgeous-Alexander had scored nine points in the last quarter when the thunder transformed a 69: 63 deficit into a five-point victory.

“It felt good,” said Gilgeous-Alexander. “It always feels good to win. It is to lose shit. As I said the last game, I am always ready to take the good and the bad. And I took the last game bad. I took the good thing this evening.”

Thunder trainer Mark Daignaucht praised the resistance of his Star Guard after a bad excursion in game 3.

“I am always amazed at his ability to get back to zero,” said Daignault. “Usually he brings back to a great game. This is his secret sauce. Despite his success, he remains so and modest.

“But when he fails, he doesn't show his fingers, he doesn't pout. He is not emotional, he is not angry. He is just so level that he gets into play again. He is the last guy to worry when you collide back.”

Okcs depth makes a big difference

In a game in which both teams played with tired legs after the victory of the Nuggets in game 3 Friday evening, Oklahoma City's depth – and missing – turned out to be critical.

The thunder received 56 minutes from five different bank players who had a total of 36 points, 17 rebounds and six templates. Aaron Wiggins (11 points), Cason Wallace (11 points) and Alex Caruso (10 points) each achieved in double -digit numbers and provided the Daigedault with a constant rotation of fresh defenders to take over the offensive stars. Caruso, Wiggins and Wallace were all on the

The Nuggets countered with 41 minutes of three bench players – 27 of them from Russell Westbrook. The banking unit from Denver scored six points when Westbrooks 2 out of 12 efforts from the 3-of-15 grandstand field combined by Nuggets backups.

It was a strong difference between the two roster and a place where Oklahoma City has a clear advantage.

“They were huge,” said Daigneult about his banking unit. “They made huge shots. And they gave us great defense and tenacity. … … …

“We played for many minutes – our top boys recently played for many minutes the other evening in overtime. Short turnaround and early game today. We deliberately tried to use our depth today and get everyone going.”

Oklahoma City's starters praised the efforts of the banking unit, including all-star Jalen Williams.

“We only have people who are willing to go. … We have a lot of people who can play and many things on the floor, and it doesn't have to be a goal,” said Williams. “This is what makes our team something special. To be able to play several people in a series and have the same mentality to be ready and play games is really a key.”

In the meantime, Nuggets trainer David Adelman stood for questions after the game after the lack of production from Denvers Bank and a short rotation during the collapse of the fourth quarter.

“We only have to get more people,” said Adelman. “And maybe I have to play more than eight boys. I had the feeling as soon as we pushed [the lead] at eight [points]I really stayed in a shorter rotation and thought we had the chance to somehow push this thing and take control of the game. “

Thunder border Jokić again

In a game with a few insulting light blocks, Jokić's 27-point effort was by far the best of the nuggets. But for a third game in a row, it was not the three -time MVP of efficiency to which Denver is used to.

Jokić exploded for 42 points at the 15-von-29 shooting at the come-from-heart victory in game 1. But his 7-von-22 efforts on Sunday marked a third game in a row on Sunday, in which he shot less than 40% out of the field.

Jokić shot 6 out of 16 (37.5%) in Denvers Blowout loss in game 2 and 8 of 25 (32%) in game 3 in Denver. He made up for his fights on Sunday with an eleventh 14 effort in the line, but he missed two critical free throws in the fourth quarter. A defensive effort under the direction of Isaiah Hartenstein from Oklahoma City definitely gives Jokić adjustments.

“It's a team performance, I think,” said Hartenstein. “We do great work-yes, it is mainly my job to defend it one to one-but I don't think my teammates will leave me on an island. That makes it so good.

“He will take hard recordings and you have to live with it mentally. But I think we're doing a good job to rave, turn the right way and carry out a schedule.”

Jokić attributed the defense of Oklahoma City when he showed him “a bit of everything”.

“They are physical, they are more handy, they come – they are good with help,” said Jokić. “And sometimes I just can't make a shot.”

The dark first quarter sets several markings for senselessness

Maybe a local tip at 1:30 p.m. was not the best idea.

After a third game that went in extra time and left both teams in the arena after midnight on Friday, no team saw ready to play in the early Sunday. In fact, they played the worst first quarter in the NBA playoff story -at least in terms of evaluation.

The thunder took over a lead of 17: 8 after a first quarter, which set several markings for senselessness. The combined 25 points were very few of the first quarter in the NBA playoff story. For the nuggets, their eight points marked their lowest edition in a single quarter in their post -season history. The preliminary prelude of 228.5 points at BetmGM were never in danger.

It was a remarkable representation of an offensive inability of both teams, especially from the nuggets. And good defense cannot take out all the loan. Both teams have repeatedly missed open jumpers. Air balls were numerous. Most of them were 3 points removal.

Oklahoma City made a single that made 3 in 11 attempts. Luggen there held a 0-to-8-donner, which remained in the stanza with a 3 with 4:57. It is an effort for which the nuggets would certainly be traded.

Denver did not hit a single 3 in the first quarter. The Nuggets shot 0 out of 13 in a 2-von-21 effort from the field, which shockingly fell from Oklahoma City's own Lauter 6-von-22 performance.

Westbrook finally broke the 3-point thumb for Denver, which extended to 16 to 16 in the second quarter. Westbrooks 3 with 4:24 at half-time the ball arena in frenzy and cut the lead of the thunder to 31-26.

Thanks to the offensive fights by Oklahoma City, the nuggets were somehow still in the game. But the slow start was ultimately too much for Denver to overcome it.

Both head coach spoke about the short time before the game.

“It's extremely short,” said Nuggets coach David Adelman. “We tried to keep our feet as far as possible. …

“It is of course a short break for both teams. They are much younger. They see different Netflix shows than our boys.”

Adelman added that he believed that the nuggets were “ready to play”.

Daignault played the Turnaround time as something that does not give one team the advantage over the other.

“Not different from Denver, as we look at it,” said Daignault. “It is the same time for you, the same reset for you. No team is therefore an advantage or a disadvantage, so let's really not think about it. Today it is an equivalent field for both teams.”

The thunder ended the competition 35.6% of the floor and 24.4% (10 out of 41) of 3; The nuggets shot 31.3% from the field and 24.4% (11 out of 45) from the long distance.

Game 5 is planned on Tuesday for 9:30 p.m. ET in Oklahoma City.