The NBA playoffs are heating up as two thrilling series near their climaxes. The Thunder and Nuggets battle in a tightly contested matchup heading into Game 7, while the Knicks look to close out the Celtics and reach the Conference Finals for the first time in decades. With one game separating OKC and New York from the Conference Finals, both teams will seize the moment and advance to the Conference Finals. 

The Thunder Emerge Victorious Over the Nuggets in Game Seven 

With Game Seven looming on Sunday, the Nuggets and Thunder are locked in a back-and-forth series. In Game 6, strong performances from Christian Braun, Jamal Murray, Julian Strawther, and Nikola Jokić propelled the Nuggets to a reasonably comfortable win. However, Denver also received a lot of help from the Thunder in this game. SGA, for example, committed four fouls in the first half, which sparked a comeback for the Nuggets at the end of the second quarter when the Thunder were up by 12. Additionally, Jalen Williams played poorly, shooting just 19% from the field and scoring only six points. Furthermore, the Thunder shot 17% from three in the second half, despite many of those attempts being open looks.

Despite all of the above, the Thunder had a great look to cut the lead to six with two minutes left. They have yet to lose back-to-back games in this series and have not been blown out. This ability to keep games close, even when losing, is extremely important in Game 7. OKC has proven it can stay within striking distance, even on an off night. For all these reasons, I believe the Thunder will prevail against the Nuggets in Game 7.

The Knicks Lay the Celtics to Rest in Game Six

Game Five was a strong showing for the Celtics’ supporting cast. Al Horford was ultra-efficient, scoring 12 points while shooting 71% from the field and 67% from three. Luke Kornet nearly had a triple-double with blocks in only 20 minutes of action. Sam Hauser was even able to contribute in his first game back from injury, shooting 40% from three.

That said, this was a win-or-go-home game for the Celtics. The Knicks, on the other hand, had done their job; they returned to Boston with a 3–1 series lead. For the Celtics to win this game, they needed the entire Knicks starting five to shoot under 50%. Despite that, the Knicks still managed to eclipse the 100-point mark. Moreover, the Knicks seem to have found a way to slow Jaylen Brown down. In the first four games of the series, the Knicks held him to under 50% from the field, and in three of those games, under 40%. Now, with Jaylen Brown becoming Boston’s number one option due to Jayson Tatum’s unfortunate injury, the ability to slow down Jaylen Brown becomes even more vital to New York’s success. With all that in mind, I like the Knicks to advance to the Conference Finals for the first time since the 1999–2000 season tonight.