{"id":37164,"date":"2025-05-16T14:03:12","date_gmt":"2025-05-16T14:03:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/37164\/"},"modified":"2025-05-16T14:03:12","modified_gmt":"2025-05-16T14:03:12","slug":"okc-thunder-gave-denver-nuggets-hope-in-game-6-most-dangerous-thing-in-nba-playoffs-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/37164\/","title":{"rendered":"OKC Thunder gave Denver Nuggets hope in Game 6, ‘most dangerous thing’ in NBA Playoffs"},"content":{"rendered":"

DENVER \u2014 Those sounds: the clamoring from a thirsty Denver crowd, the roars of exhilaration from Jamal Murray<\/a>\u2019s motivated lips. Those looks: the smirk that escaped the otherwise stiff Nikola Jokic<\/a> during his exit to the tunnel, the loss of color and life from Jalen Williams<\/a>\u2019 expression. Those are the signs of what Alex Caruso<\/a> was fearful of.<\/p>\n

Giving the Nuggets<\/a> hope.<\/p>\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t wanna give a team fighting for their life any hope or belief,\u201d Caruso warned hours before Game 6, ahead 3-2 in the Western Conference semifinals<\/a> then. \u201cProbably the most dangerous thing you can do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Invoke danger the Thunder did. Ball Arena was sent into a frenzy by an equal dose of hope and belief. Hope that a Game 7 was possible. Belief that it could stomp the Thunder, 119-107<\/a>, to unlock it.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I said \u2018give them hope,\u2019\u201d Caruso recalled to The Oklahoman Wednesday night. \u201cIt\u2019s not up to us. They have (a) championship mindset. They were always going to come out and throw punches and haymakers tonight. Jamal Murray flexing to the crowd \u2014 you can see the emotion and energy that they were playing with.\u201d<\/p>\n

The door of hope was thrust open as soon as the second quarter.<\/p>\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n

MUSSATTO: OKC Thunder needs more from Jalen Williams to oust Nuggets from NBA Playoffs in Game 7<\/a><\/p>\n

\"DENVER,<\/p>\n

DENVER, COLORADO – MAY 15: Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets greets fans after defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder 119-107 in Game Six of the Western Conference Second Round NBA Playoffs at Ball Arena on May 15, 2025 in Denver, Colorado.<\/p>\n

Inside the period, Isaiah Hartenstein<\/a> and Jaylin Williams<\/a> each picked up their third foul. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander<\/a> picked up his fourth.<\/p>\n

In all non-Game 2 performances this series \u2014 when he played 30 minutes in a blowout Thunder win \u2014 SGA has played at least 38 minutes. He played 35 on Thursday. Contact and time were his greatest enemies, a 32-point, six-assist night on 11-of-16 shooting to show for it.<\/p>\n

His fourth whistle was preventable, a swipe at Jokic after losing the ball. A handful of Jaylin Williams and Hartenstein\u2019s fouls stemmed from jumping near Jokic \u2014 who finished with an efficient 29 points and 14 boards, attempting 12 free throws \u2014\u00a0 while he made his way to the rim in slow motion.<\/p>\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n

SGA and Hartenstein opened the half seemingly avoiding drivers underneath the rim like they were attempting to dodge a laser security system.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had some dumb fouls that we could\u2019ve prevented,\u201d Jaylin Williams told The Oklahoman. \u201cNothing really changed. We just gotta be smarter with our contact.\u201d<\/p>\n

And yet, OKC still found itself in the driver\u2019s seat after that: a 12-point lead with two minutes to play in the first half in a game where that kind of deficit felt worth a fortune.<\/p>\n

That lead was erased in those two minutes.<\/p>\n

With a pair of Christian Braun<\/a> 3-pointers. With a steady flow of rim attempts from Denver.<\/p>\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n

CARLSON: OKC Thunder falls into cauldron of a Game 7 after failing to eliminate Denver Nuggets<\/a><\/p>\n

Belief seemingly coursed through Murray\u2019s bloodstream before Mucinex ever got the chance to. He began Thursday listed as questionable with an illness<\/a>, something coach David Adelman apparently caught wind of earlier that morning.<\/p>\n

Murray finished the night with 27 points, seven assists and eight rebounds. He dazzled with marvelous shotmaking, without a jumper worth sneezing at. Perhaps the sideline was contaminated when he nearly crowd surfed at the end of the third quarter; he flexed and grimaced in their air space after a 10-second sequence saw him score a fastbreak layup and draw a pivotal foul to swing the end of the third.<\/p>\n

He wore the emotions of Denver\u2019s Game 6 push. But they all floated to the top with the way the Nuggets closed that third quarter.<\/p>\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n

If potential elimination games call for an unsung hero, Nuggets guard Julian Strawther<\/a> was that. Twice in this series, Strawther played less than five minutes. Once he picked up a DNP. But Thursday, he pumped air into Denver\u2019s season.<\/p>\n

In just over a minute, he scored eight points: two 3s and a funky lob. Arson-worthy for the Denver faithful, migraine-inducing for a Thunder squad aiming to wipe its hands with this round.<\/p>\n

The Nuggets’ lead went from three. To five. To eight. To 10. All in lung-crushing time.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen halftime ends, you get 24 minutes to play your best, regardless of what just happened,\u201d Daigneault said. \u201cWe had that opportunity. So did they. They outplayed us in the second half.\u201d<\/p>\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n

5 TAKEAWAYS: OKC Thunder fails to close out Denver Nuggets, sending series to Game 7<\/a><\/p>\n

\"DENVER,<\/p>\n

DENVER, COLORADO – MAY 15: Jamal Murray #27 of the Denver Nuggets reacts as Jalen Williams #8 of the Oklahoma City Thunder looks on during the third quarter in Game Six of the Western Conference Second Round NBA Playoffs at Ball Arena on May 15, 2025 in Denver, Colorado.<\/p>\n

Despite Oklahoma City’s most recent couple closes, and despite Gilgeous-Alexander\u2019s gradual control over his performance in the series, the comeback didn\u2019t happen. Jalen Williams, the Thunder\u2019s rightful second All-Star, finished 3 of 16 for a series-low six points.<\/p>\n

It capped off a 10-of-43 stretch in his past three games. He refused to excuse his wrist<\/a>. He sat hidden behind his Thunder teammates while the final seconds dwindled, his towel wrapped over his head, his stare stuck on his process. The Nuggets won and cheered, the Thunder swallowed defeat and filed to the back halls \u2014 all while Williams remained glued to the bench. Unsatisfied. Stuck like stone.<\/p>\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n

\u201cI just hurt us tonight not making shots,\u201d he said postgame.<\/p>\n

Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder couldn\u2019t outplay hope.<\/p>\n

Now it\u2019s all they have. About as much as they can count on.<\/p>\n

The Thunder can scrape together three Game 7s between this core. Its eventful, record-shattering season depends on appearing as competent Sunday as it had in its historical regular season. On shoving the idea that they\u2019re too prepubescent for the moment, the bright lights, down the throats of their detractors.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s all they can believe in Sunday.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust gotta go for it,\u201d Caruso said. \u201cThere\u2019s no time to be timid. There\u2019s no time to second guess. You\u2019ve gotta just throw your best punch and go for the win. That\u2019s probably gonna be our message.<\/p>\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n

\u201cDo the things that we\u2019ve done all year to be a great team and go for it.\u201d<\/p>\n

More: Thunder vs Nuggets score: Nikola Jokic, Denver beat OKC force Game 7 in NBA Playoffs<\/a><\/p>\n

Joel Lorenzi\u00a0covers the Thunder and NBA for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Joel? He can be reached at jlorenzi@oklahoman.com or on X\/Twitter at\u00a0@joelxlorenzi. Support Joel’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a\u00a0digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OKC Thunder gave Denver Nuggets ‘most dangerous thing’ in NBA Playoffs<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"DENVER \u2014 Those sounds: the clamoring from a thirsty Denver crowd, the roars of exhilaration from Jamal Murray\u2019s…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":37165,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[328,7,561,301,949,364,762,6563,763,6,11,253,302,878,475,209],"class_list":{"0":"post-37164","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nba-playoffs","8":"tag-alex-caruso","9":"tag-basketball","10":"tag-christian-braun","11":"tag-denver","12":"tag-isaiah-hartenstein","13":"tag-jalen-williams","14":"tag-jamal-murray","15":"tag-jaylin-williams","16":"tag-julian-strawther","17":"tag-nba","18":"tag-nba-playoffs","19":"tag-nikola-jokic","20":"tag-nuggets","21":"tag-okc-thunder","22":"tag-oklahoma-city","23":"tag-shai-gilgeous-alexander"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nba\/114517888746652356","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37164","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=37164"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37164\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/37165"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37164"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=37164"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=37164"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}