Denver withstands OKC's thrashing and leads 2-1 in a fierce series

The Denver Nuggets defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 113-104 in overtime in the third game of the Western Conference semifinals series, with 27 points from Jamal Murray, 22 from Aaron Gordon, and 21 from a physically limited yet effective Michael Porter Jr., in his best performance since injuring his shoulder at the start of the playoffs.

Similar to the first game where Denver won with a buzzer-beating triple from Gordon, the Nuggets were mostly behind on the scoreboard and never led by more than two points in regulation time. Everything changed in overtime as the home team went on an 11-2 run while the Thunder only scored on one of their nine possessions.

Interim coach David Adelman emphasized his team's experience in crucial moments, stating: "I think at the end of games, you can trust what you have already seen, felt, and done," recalling that just two years ago, the Nuggets were NBA champions.

Despite a subpar performance by Nikola Jokic, with eight turnovers and 17 misses out of 25 shots (including 10 missed three-pointers), Denver took a 2-1 lead in the series. Jokic finished with 20 points, 16 rebounds, and six assists. Adelman jokingly remarked, "I mean, 20, 16, and 6, what a terrible night in the NBA," understanding the frustration of the Serbian player. "When you are so efficient, possibly one of the most efficient players in any sport, I get it. But the fourth game will come, and he will touch the ball a thousand times. I hope he shoots all the time."

Jokic opened overtime with a layup, and the Nuggets never trailed again. On the opposing side, Thunder coach Mark Daigneault acknowledged his players' efforts: "Obviously, it's tough to lose, but there are many positive things to take from this. We want to be a team that improves during the series. We did many good things, especially with Jokic. It was a hard-fought game for both teams, not easy."

MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander also had a tough night, scoring only 18 points with 7 for 22 from the field and 1 for 6 from beyond the arc. Jalen Williams led the Thunder with 32 points, and Chet Holmgren added 18.

The game was tied at 102 after 48 minutes. Gilgeous-Alexander missed a shot three seconds before the final buzzer, and Jokic's mid-range shot at the buzzer was off target.

"Defeats always hurt, especially in the playoffs," admitted Daigneault. "But we are in the process of becoming a great team, and we have already come a long way. One of the things necessary to achieve it is to be pushed to the limit in the playoffs and know how to respond to challenges."

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Denver venga la paliza de OKC y pone el 2-1 en una serie bestial