For the second straight game, the Oklahoma City Thunder erased a fourth-quarter deficit, and once again, they walked away with a win.
Down 12 entering the final frame, OKC outscored the Denver Nuggets 34-19 in the fourth to seal a 112-105 victory and a 3-2 lead in their Western Conference semifinal series. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander poured in 31 points, six rebounds, and seven assists in a clutch performance that outdueled Nikola Jokić’s monstrous 44-point, 15-rebound, five-assist effort.
The Thunder defense clamped down when it mattered most, holding Denver to just one field goal over seven minutes in the fourth quarter. Still, Jokić kept the Nuggets alive, trading go-ahead buckets with Gilgeous-Alexander in a high-stakes battle between MVP frontrunners.
After SGAs and -1 gave OKC the edge with two minutes to go, Jokić nailed a wild turnaround three to tie it yet again. But the Thunder weren’t finished. A triple from Jalen Williams and another from Gilgeous-Alexander put the game out of reach with under a minute left, as OKC closed the contest, hitting its final six field goals.
Six Thunder players scored in double figures, with Williams (18 points) and Isaiah Hartenstein (15 points) making key contributions. Over the last two fourth quarters, OKC has now outscored Denver 63-37.
Despite Jokić joining elite playoff company with his stat line, the Nuggets face elimination as the series shifts back to Denver for Game 6 on Thursday night.