The Denver Nuggets‘ victory in Game 1 was impressive, considering how tough the Oklahoma City Thunder are on their home court, the Paycom Center, and the road the “The Mile High” squad had to take just to make it to the Western Conference semis. At the same time, it cannot be discounted that it was just one win and they need three more to advance to the next round—a feat that’s easier said than done against the best team in the league this season.
However, ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins stressed that the Nuggets’ Game 1 win was more than just a series-opening victory. It gave Denver confidence and fueled the belief that they could topple this OKC squad, which many have pegged to win it all this season.
Pulled the rug from under the Thunder
The Thunder had everything going their way. With nine minutes to go, they built a 12-point lead in the fourth quarter and appeared to be cruising to a win. But the Nuggets had other plans. Led by three-time league MVP Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Aaron Gordon, Denver chipped away at the lead before AG obliterated it with the game-winning triple with only 2.8 seconds left.
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According to Perk, the Thunder’s deflating loss left them with many questions to answer.
“I saw the Nuggets snatch their souls. That’s what I saw,” the former NBA champ said on “Get Up.” “I saw Jokic get a technical foul, and I saw him get pissed off. And after that, it was a wrap.”
Kendrick said that as highly touted as OKC’s defense is, it was shredded to bits by just two players: “The Joker” and “Air Gordon.” Jokic had 42 points, 22 rebounds, and six assists, while Gordon added 22 markers and 14 boards.
“Aaron Gordon and Jokic were punishing Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren. They had 64 points out of the 121 points. They were punishing them in and out,” Perk emphasized.
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With Game 2 looming, the former NBA vet and now popular analyst said the Thunder must make the necessary adjustments or risk going down 2-0 to a team with championship experience.
“Listen—they gotta wake up. You bring in Isaiah Hartenstein this offseason to secure that spot and fill that void at the center position. Chet Holmgren, you supposed to be that guy to cancel out Aaron Gordon. Aaron Gordon is so crucial for the Nuggets—for his physicality, his size. If they don’t correct this, it’s going to be a problem for OKC. They’re going to be in trouble,” Kendrick stressed.
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SGA isn’t fazed
The Thunder finished the regular season with an impressive 68-14 record, the best in the league. They didn’t waste time booting out the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round, as they won via a convincing sweep. So, it’s safe to say they haven’t been challenged a lot this season.
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Now with their backs against the wall, it will be put up or shut up time for the Thunder, a challenge their undisputed leader, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, is more than willing to embrace.
“It should be good. It should be fun. We’re going to find out what we’re made of—what we’re really made of,” SGA stated.
“And we couldn’t expect it to be smooth sailing this whole journey. No journey in life is, and we know that. And today is a bump in the road—unexpected. No one expects to lose, especially that way. But it’s the game of life. So it’s about how you respond to getting knocked down. And that’s what we got to do next game,” he added.
The Thunder face a massive roadblock. With the versatile powerhouse Jokic, the sharpshooting and clutch Murray, and the dynamic two-way forward Gordon, the Nuggets present a formidable challenge that leaves OKC with a tough task ahead.
Related: “Saw the downside of an analytics ending” – Chris Mannix says OKC’s reliance on analytics cost them Game 1 vs. Denver