NBA playoffs: Dismal start dooms Nuggets as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads Thunder rally in Game 4 win

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DENVER — A 3-1 series lead was in Denver’s grasp on Sunday.

But a historically poor first quarter from the Nuggets and a strong close by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Oklahoma City’s bench proved too much for Denver to overcome in a 92-87 Thunder win.

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The Nuggets managed just eight points in the first quarter in an opening stanza that saw both teams limp out of the gates. Denver eventually found its offensive rhythm and entered the fourth quarter with a six-point lead.

But an 11-0 Thunder run sucked the air out of a previously frenetic Ball Arena. The Nuggets went cold from the field again and missed multiple free throws down the stretch as the Thunder held hold to tie the series at 2-2.

Gilgeous-Alexander led Oklahoma City with 25 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals. Nikola Jokić posted 27 points, 13 rebounds, 3 assists and 4 steals in the losing effort. He shot 7 of 22 from the field, and Oklahoma City’s stifling defense continued to fluster him.

SGA closes strong after struggling in Game 3

The Thunder lost Game 3 on Friday as Gilgeous-Alexander faded down the stretch with a 1-of-8 effort from the field in the fourth quarter and overtime combined. There was no fading from OKC’s MVP candidate on Sunday.

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Alexander led the Thunder’s fourth-quarter surge with seven of Oklahoma City’s eight points during a critical fourth-quarter stretch that kept the Nuggets at bay. A tough step-back jumper extended Oklahoma City’s lead to 83-78.

An aggressive drive to the hoop extended it again to 88-81 with 2:23 remaining, further thwarting Denver’s hopes of a rally.

When the game was done, Gilgeous-Alexander had scored nine of his 25 points in the final quarter that saw the Thunder turn a 69-63 deficit into a five-point win.

“It felt good,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “It always feels good to win. It sucks to lose. Like I said last game, I’m always willing to take the good and the bad. And last game I took the bad. Tonight, I took the good.”

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Thunder coach Mark Daigneault praised his star guard’s resilience following a poor outing in Game 3.

“I always marvel at his ability to get himself back to zero,” Daigneault said. “Usually he’s getting himself back to zero off of a great game. That’s his secret sauce. He stays so level and humble despite his success.

“But when he does fail, he doesn’t point fingers, he doesn’t pout. He’s not emotional, he’s not angry. He’s just so level that he gets himself right back into play. He’s the last guy you worry about bouncing back.”

OKC’s depth makes a big difference

In a game where both teams were playing with tired legs, Oklahoma City’s depth — and Denver’s lack thereof — proved critical.

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The Thunder got 56 combined minutes from five different bench players who totaled 36 points, 17 rebounds and six assists. Aaron Wiggins (11 points), Cason Wallace (11 points) and Alex Caruso (10 points) each scored in double figures and provided Daigneault with a steady rotation of fresh defenders to take on Denver’s offensive stars. Caruso, Wiggins and Wallace were all on the floor to start the fourth quarter that launched Oklahoma City’s late rally.

The Nuggets countered with 41 minutes from three bench players — 27 of them from Russell Westbrook. Denver’s bench unit tallied six total points as Westbrook’s 2-of-12 effort from the field paced a 3-of-15 overall from Nuggets backups.

It marked a stark difference between the two rosters and a spot where Oklahoma City has a clear advantage.

“They were huge,” Daigneault said of his bench unit. “They made huge shots. And they gave us huge defense and toughness plays. …

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“We played a lot of minutes — our top guys played a lot of minutes the other night in the overtime game. Quick turnaround and early game today. We made a very intentional effort to use our depth today and get everybody going.”

The effort of the bench unit drew praise from Oklahoma City’s starters, including All-Star Jalen Williams.

“We just have guys who are ready to go. … We have a lot of guys that can play and do a lot of things on the floor, and it doesn’t have to be scoring,” Williams said. “That’s what makes our team special. Being able to play multiple guys in a series and for them to have the same mentality to be ready and make plays is really a key.”

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Nuggets coach David Adelman, meanwhile, faced postgame questions about the lack of production from Denver’s bench and maintaining a short rotation during Denver’s fourth-quarter collapse.

“We just have to get more from more people,” Adelman said. “And I have to maybe play more than eight guys. I felt like, once we pushed it to eight [points], I really stayed with a shorter rotation thinking that we had a chance to kind of push that thing and take control of the game.”

Dismal first quarter sets multiple marks for futility

Maybe a 1:30 p.m. local tip wasn’t the best idea.

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After a Game 3 that went to overtime and left both teams in the arena past midnight Friday, neither team looked ready to play early Sunday. In fact, they played the worst first quarter in NBA playoff history — in terms of scoring, at least.

The Thunder took a 17-8 lead into the second quarter after a first that set multiple marks for futility. The combined 25 points were the fewest of any first quarter in NBA playoff history. For the Nuggets, their eight points marked their lowest output in a single quarter in their postseason history. The pregame betting total of 228.5 points at BetMGM was not in peril.

It was a remarkable display of offensive ineptitude by both teams, particularly from the Nuggets. And good defense can’t take all the credit. Both teams repeatedly missed open jumpers. Air balls were aplenty. Most of them were from 3-point distance.

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Oklahoma City managed a single made 3 on 11 attempts. Lugentz Dort broke a personal 0-of-8 streak from long distance with a 3 with 4:57 remaining in the stanza. It’s an effort the Nuggets surely would have traded for.

Denver didn’t hit a single 3 in the first quarter. The Nuggets shot 0 of 13 from long distance in a 2-of-21 effort from the field that shockingly stood out from Oklahoma City’s own tepid 6-of-22 performance.

Russell Westbrook finally broke the 3-point drought for Denver that extended to 0 for 16 into the second quarter. Westbrook’s 3 with 4:24 remaining in the half sent Ball Arena into a frenzy and cut the Thunder’s lead to 31-26.

The Nuggets were somehow still in the game, thanks to Oklahoma City’s own offensive struggles. But the slow start was ultimately too much for Denver to overcome.

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Both head coaches talked about the short turnaround time pregame.

“It’s extremely short rest,” Nuggets coach David Adelman said. “We tried to stay off our feet as much as possible. …

“It’s short rest for both teams, obviously. They’re much younger. They watch different Netflix shows than our guys do.”

Adelman added he believed the Nuggets were “ready to play.”

Daigneault downplayed the turnaround time as something that wouldn’t give one team the advantage over the other.

“No different from Denver is how we look at it,” Daigneault said. “It’s the same time for them, the same reset for them. Neither team is at an advantage or disadvantage with that, so we really don’t think about it. It’s an equal playing field today for both teams.”

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The Thunder finished the contest shooting 35.6% from the floor and 24.4% (10 of 41) from 3; the Nuggets shot 31.3% from the field and 24.4% (11 of 45) from long range.

Game 5 is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. ET in Oklahoma City on Tuesday.

This news was originally published on this post .

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