AFCON 2025
The Oklahoma City Thunder dominated the Denver Nuggets in Game 7, turning a shaky start into a convincing 123-95 win.
After a nervous opening nine minutes, the Thunder asserted their defensive superiority, forcing 22 turnovers that ultimately sealed the Nuggets’ fate.
SGA POWERS OKC TO WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS!!!!
⛈️ 35 points
⛈️ 4 assists
⛈️ 3 steals
⛈️ 12-19 from the floorGame 1 vs. MIN: Tuesday at 8:30pm/et on ESPN 🍿 pic.twitter.com/7E3wJp17cE
— NBA (@NBA) May 18, 2025
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the charge with a stellar performance, scoring 35 points on 12-of-19 shooting, including 3-of-4 from beyond the arc. He added three rebounds, four assists, and three steals, making a strong case for the NBA MVP award.
Jalen Williams bounced back impressively with 24 points, while Alex Caruso contributed 11 points in a physical battle against Nikola Jokic in the post.
The Thunder’s defense was suffocating, and although Jokic was frustrated with the officiating, the 32-point margin wasn’t solely due to the calls.
Jokic had 20 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists for the Nuggets but was held to five turnovers. Despite the loss, his efforts were notable, but the Thunder’s youthful roster proved too strong.
With this win, the Thunder advance to the conference finals, where they’ll host the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 1 on Tuesday. Notably, they’ve become the youngest team in NBA history to reach this stage.
