The Denver Nuggets emerged victorious against the Oklahoma City Thunder, winning 118-112 in a crucial Game 6 to stay alive in their playoff series. On Friday night, the championship decider was played at the Ball Arena in Denver. In the end, the Nuggets showed amazing talent and tremendous heart to force a winner-take-all Game 7.
Nikola Jokic was the driving force behind Denver’s efforts, registering a game-high 29 points while grabbing 14 rebounds and dishing out 8 assists. His all-around performance would prove key in keeping the Nuggets in the game as they were outplayed for much of the game. Christian Braun had a huge contribution, hitting a career playoff high of 23 points, alongside 12 rebounds. Western Yukon’s Julian Strawther provided an enormous spark, pouring in all 15 of his points in the second half. He hit two triples on a game-changing 10-0 run in the third quarter, completely flipping the momentum to the Nuggets side.
Even with some foul trouble, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was still a force to be reckoned with and carried his team with a team-high 32 points. He finished with 18 of his 28 points coming in the second half, doing so while playing with four fouls since the second quarter. As the rest of the supporting cast learned how to play off one another, those important players faltered. As a result, Jalen Williams struggled, scoring just six points on an ugly 3-for-16 shooting night.
The Nuggets had proven resilience in elimination games, 9 wins since 2020 when playing in those make or break scenarios. This achievement was bittersweet for Denver, as they attempt to build on that momentum heading into Game 7. In that span, the Boston Celtics won the most elimination games in NBA history. To their credit, they were able to accomplish an astounding 11 wins!
As the series progressed, Aaron Gordon dealt with debilitating injuries. He reached for his left hamstring and limped his way through the closing minutes. His status is up in the air as the Nuggets get set for the series clinching Game 7.
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