SGA Shines as Thunder Rout Nuggets to Even Series 1-1

After an exciting game 1 finish that saw the Nuggets steal a win against the number one-seeded Thunder, the Thunder responded emphatically tonight to tie the series 1-1.

The Thunder put on a masterful performance on both ends of the floor, led by MVP finalist Shai Gilgeous-Alexander who dropped an efficient 34 points to lead all scorers.

While SGA was the star of the game for the Thunder, he had some much-needed assistance along the way.

Thunder Supporting Cast Comes Up Big The Thunder came out of the gates hot in the 1st quarter, which came through various players.

Forward Luguentz Dort found his rhythm early in the game, scoring 10 of his 12 points in the first quarter.

Although Dort finished shooting just 4-for-13 from the field, his hot start helped set the table for other Thunder players to join in.

All-Star Forward Jalen Williams also gave the Thunder a fantastic performance on both ends of the floor, finishing with 17 points along with a pair of blocks.

No Stopping the Thunder Offense All of the Thunder players key contributions ultimately culminated in a complete rewriting of the NBA playoff record books.

As Oklahoma City dropped a new playoff record 87 points in the first half on a scorching 59% shooting from the field.

The Thunder also saw all five starters score in double figures for the first time this postseason.

While the Thunders offense was cooking the Nuggets on the offensive end, their defense was also clamping them down as well.

Thunder Defense Locks-Up Jokic and Gordon There arent many ways to shut down the dynamic Denver duo of Aaron Gordon and Nikola Jokic , but the Thunder were able to find a way to give both players fits.

After a masterful performance by Jokic in game 1 in which he dropped a monstrous 42 points and 22 rebounds.

The three-time MVP had a quiet night in game 2, only managing to score 17 points before fouling out late in the 3rd quarter.

Forward Aaron Gordon also saw a huge drop in his performance in game 2.

The game 1 hero for the Nuggets was held to 10 points on 3-for-12 shooting from the field, a far cry from his 22-point and 14 rebound performance last game.

What Went Wrong for the Nuggets While it may be easy to put the blame for the 33-point loss upon star players like Jokic and Gordon, the Nuggets as a team simply did not show up at either end.

The biggest factor in the Nuggets loss was their inability to prevent the Thunder from scoring in the paint.

Oklahoma City outscored Denver in the paint by a staggering 24 points, a surprising stat when considering that the Nuggets were ranked number one during the regular season in points in the paint per game.

Final Thoughts As the series now shifts to Denver, the Nuggets still very much possess a fighting chance to upset the Thunder.

The biggest question mark that will linger for these next two games for Denver will be, did that game 1 loss wake this Thunder squad up? While this historic outing by the Thunder may indicate that could be the case, the Nuggets have always performed at their best at home these playoffs.

However, if these recent playoff games have proven anything, it is that nobody is safe at home.

This article first appeared on Total Apex Sports and was syndicated with permission..

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