Player grades: Thunder devour Nuggets in 125-93 Game 7 win to advance to WCF

USA Today

19-05-2025

Player grades: Thunder devour Nuggets in 125-93 Game 7 win to advance to WCF
OKLAHOMA CITY — Squaring off against Julian Strawther, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander salivated at the mouth. He only needed a couple of dribbles to decide he wanted to pull up from deep. After it looked like another outside miss, the ball rolled in after it hit the front of the rim.
That was enough for both teams to wave the white flag. The Oklahoma City Thunder dominated the Denver Nuggets in a 125-93 Game 7 win. The 4-3 Round 2 series win has graduated them to the Western Conference Finals against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
What turned into a second-half party looked like a first-half funeral. The Thunder were down early. The moment seemed too big for the young roster. Rattled early on, the Nuggets sped by for an early 11-point lead. The Thunder salvaged the end of the frame but exited the first quarter in a 26-21 deficit.
Then everything clicked for the Thunder. An 18-5 run in the final three moments helped them create distance on the scoreboard. The league's best defense sold out on Nikola Jokic to tally limited touches. It worked as every other Denver possession ended in an OKC steal or bad shot attempt.
Jalen Williams had one of his best halves with 17 efficient points. The 24-year-old was a threat in transition. Suddenly, the Thunder had a 60-46 halftime lead. Everything went their way with 39 points in the second quarter while the Nuggets only had 20.
Going with Alex Caruso over Isaiah Hartenstein, the start of the second half saw the Thunder escalate the score. It didn't take long to see their lead balloon by over 20 points as they scored the first nine points. Gilgeous-Alexander's stepback 3-pointer made it a 69-46 lead less than two minutes in.
That sucked all the intrigue out of the Game 7. Awful for 29 other fanbases, awesome for the Thunder. A weekend built around OKC quickly turned forgettable as the Thunder destroyed the Nuggets and led by 20-plus points for the entire second half.
The Thunder scored 37 points in the third quarter. They exited the third quarter with a 97-72 lead. It was all over but the crying for the Nuggets. They had to experience another quarter of putrid basketball to sit on the bench and think about what transpired.
It took less than five minutes into the fourth quarter for both teams to clear their bench. The Thunder scored 28 points in the final frame to pad their lead. They led by as many as an eye-popping 43 points. To call it a blowout is an understatement.
The Thunder shot 49% from the field and went 12-of-39 (30.8%) from 3. They shot 19-of-24 on free throws. They had 28 assists on 47 baskets. Four Thunder players scored double-digit points.
Gilgeous-Alexander led the way with an efficient 35 points. Williams had a bounce-back performance with 24 points. Chet Holmgren had a 13-point double-double. Caruso scored 11 points and Hartenstein had 10 points.
Meanwhile, the Nuggets shot 39% from the field and went 10-of-45 (22.2%) from 3. They shot 17-of-22 on free throws. They had 20 assists on 33 baskets. Three Nuggets players scored double-digit points.
Jokic finished with 20 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Christian Braun stepped up with 19 points and four rebounds. Jamal Murray only had 13 points on 6-of-16 shooting.
Talk about a franchise-altering win. The Thunder had all the pressure in the world. They were younger, more talented, deeper and healthier. They also had homecourt advantage. All the tangibles pointed to OKC being the favorite to beat the Nuggets in Game 7.
Not only did they do that, but they devoured the Nuggets. Denver had no chance once OKC shook off early nerves. A historic defense led the way while Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams were their two best scorers. That was the formula they relied upon for their 68-win regular season and did so once again when cornered in an elimination game.
Now only four teams remain. The Thunder will face a Timberwolves squad similarly built to them. They have a heliocentric superstar carried by one of the best defenses and have rich depth to go to. But before the Western Conference Finals kick off in two days, let's enjoy the biggest win of the SGA era for the rest of the weekend.
Let's look at Thunder player grades:
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: A-plus
As the entire NBA world watched, Gilgeous-Alexander hit any expectations out of the park in the biggest game of his career. The MVP finalist made Adam Silver's bet look smart to wait another round before they handed him his prestigious trophy.
Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 35 points on 12-of-19 shooting, four assists and three rebounds. He shot 3-of-4 from 3 and went 8-of-9 on free throws. He also had three steals and a block.
After a Game 3 meltdown, Gilgeous-Alexander finally figured out the Nuggets. They were at his mercy. He got to his spots without a problem. He slithered through Denver's zone defense and was relentless in the paint. The jumper was also the best it looked, with killer outside attempts and an automatic two points from the mid-range.
When the Nuggets wouldn't concede easy looks, Gilgeous-Alexander was at the free-throw line plenty of times. This was truly the best he's looked all playoffs as he was a four-level scorer from the charity stripe, paint, mid-range and outside.
With the Nuggets on the verge of collapse, Gilgeous-Alexander served the knockout punch with 12 quick points in the fourth quarter. The final punctuation was an outside dagger that he's hunted all playoff series. Only fitting that he finally hit it in Game 7 before he checked out for the final time against the Nuggets.
Jalen Williams: A-plus
Hounding Jokic in the post, Williams knocked the entry pass out of his possession. The 24-year-old outran him for the loose ball and threw down the transition jam that sent the OKC crowd into a frenzy. The steal-and-score sequence pushed the Thunder's lead to double-digit points and stayed that way the rest of the game.
Talk about a comeback. Williams finished with 24 points on 10-of-17 shooting, seven assists and five rebounds. He shot 2-of-5 from 3 and went 2-of-3 on free throws. He also had a steal.
As the Thunder avalanched the Nuggets in the second quarter, Williams was the snowball that rolled downhill. He scored 17 points in the frame alone. The 24-year-old got into a flow and was a threat in transition. After Denver turned it over every other possession, he broke off from the rest for buckets.
Absent from social media for the last two days, Williams ran his victory lap online. The social media savant posted a Dez Bryant clip that egged doubters on to continue to talk crap after a standout performance. Sounds familiar? After a Game 6 stinker, the 24-year-old was the scapegoat for the frustrating loss.
Williams had to sleep on that performance for two days. The early returns in Game 7 looked similar. But a second-quarter takeover flipped the talking points as the 24-year-old showed in a do-or-die situation that he could be a viable second scorer.
Chet Holmgren: B
When the Thunder couldn't score, Holmgren's baseline alley-oops were the perfect medicine. Denver conceded those looks in its zone defense, but it came back to bite. It helped OKC stay within striking distance in the second quarter before they blew past it on the scoreboard.
Holmgren finished with 13 points on 4-of-9 shooting, 11 rebounds and one assist. He shot 0-of-3 from 3 and went 5-of-6 on free throws. He also had a steal and a block.
The Nuggets' offense failed to roll along. The Thunder ensured Jokic would seldom touch the ball and force everybody else to beat them. The bet paid off as Denver couldn't generate quality looks as its three-time MVP winner was swarmed when he looked to receive a pass.
Holmgren had his shots at Jokic. The seven-footer was also a plus on offense. He got to the free-throw line a healthy amount and kept the scoreboard moving. He was sufficient as the sole center as the Thunder faded away from their double-big lineup in the second half.
Alex Caruso: A-plus
Pressing up on Aaron Gordon, Lu Dort forced another turnover before the injured Denver starter could even get past halfcourt. Caruso had an up-close view of the steal and broke away from everybody else in transition. He was rewarded with a rare two-handed dunk before he swung around the rim.
This is why you traded for Caruso. He was a defensive catalyst and was one of the five players Daigneault trusted the most. He finished with 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting, three assists and three steals. He shot 1-of-3 from 3.
Despite the size disadvantage, Caruso had no problem battling down low with Jokic. The three-time MVP couldn't get going against the Thunder and was held to just nine shot attempts in a Game 7. The physical perimeter defender became a post-up stopper.
The Thunder needed Caruso to step up. The 31-year-old did. Being the only player on the roster with a ring, he understands what it takes to reach those heights. They saved his legs in the regular season for this game. He delivered with outstanding defense and big-time buckets to bury Denver.
Cason Wallace: A
Punching the ball out of Jokic's hands, Wallace created a steal-and-score sequence that was just another victory lap to an inevitable outcome. The Thunder's three-headed POA defensive monster usually haunts perimeter scorers' dreams, but Jokic will be an exception.
Wallace finished with seven points on 3-of-10 shooting, five assists and three rebounds. He shot 1-of-6 from 3. He also had two steals.
It wasn't the flashiest box score, but Wallace played his role in the Thunder's defensive takeover. He haunted the Nuggets with passing lane disruptions and shut down one-on-one defense. There's a reason why he made Daigneault's eight-player rotation before the game was blown open.
Being the Thunder's best-kept secret, the playoffs graduated Wallace as a household name. His raw defensive talent was fully displayed in this Game 7 as he was part of the swarm of defenders thrown at Jokic's way.
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