The NBA vultures have circled a new target. The Oklahoma City Thunder have put the Denver Nuggets on the brink of elimination after a 112-105 Game 5 win to go up 3-2 in their Round 2 NBA playoff series.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander returned to MVP form. He finished with 31 points, seven assists and six rebounds. Nikola Jokic did the same with 44 points, 15 rebounds and five assists.

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After four games of inconsistency, NBA fans were given a treat as the two MVP finalists went bucket for bucket during the final moments of a pivotal Game 5 that historically forecasts the playoff series winner. Jokic hit a circus 3-pointer and then Gilgeous-Alexander returned the favor with a pull-up 3-pointer.

After two close wins, the Thunder matured in the last week. Any concerns that they can’t win in tight situations were shushed away with back-to-back wins to get a leg-up on the Nuggets in the Round 2 playoff series. But the back-and-forth series isn’t over yet. If anything, most expect it to go the full seven games.

The Nuggets will need to win Game 6 to do that. The veteran squad with championship experience remains confident they’ll return to OKC one final time. Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray talked about being faced with elimination for the first time since their Game 7 blowout win over the LA Clippers.

“We’re not gonna go and just give them Game 6. We’re playing in front of our home crowd. I think only the second game has been kinda a blowout and the rest have been interesting games where we were there,” Jokic said. “We will play our best, hopefully.”

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Murray kept it short and sweet. If the Nuggets force a Game 7, they will need him to put up a hot scoring game where he flirts with an efficient 30 points and hits soul-crushing outside shots. Denver will need that, considering how top-heavy its roster is.

“Very confident. Always am,” Murray said.

The Thunder can’t enter Game 6 with a laissez-faire attitude. You’re up in the series and could end it in Game 6. Considering the heavy minutes totals the Nuggets have played every other day for over two weeks in the playoffs, beat them with energy and depth.

This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray confident they could force Game 7