OKC Thunder Dominate Denver Nuggets in Game 7, Head to Western Conference Finals

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 35 points as the Thunder outlasted the Nuggets, securing a spot in the Western Conference Finals. Read the match report.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have advanced to the Western Conference finals after a dominant 125-93 win over the Denver Nuggets in Game 7. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the charge with 35 points, 12 of 19 from the field, and four assists, showcasing his MVP form.

The Thunder's victory marked the end of a closely contested series that saw both teams trade blows, with Denver forcing a deciding Game 7 after a 119-107 win on Thursday. However, Oklahoma City asserted its dominance in the final game, with Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams, who scored 24 points and seven assists, leading the charge. The Thunder's strong defense held the Nuggets to just 22.2% from three-point range and 39.3% overall shooting.

Key Performances:

• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: 35 points, 4 assists, 3 steals
• Jalen Williams: 24 points, 7 assists
• Chet Holmgren: 13 points, 11 rebounds

The Thunder will now face the sixth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference finals, with Game 1 set for Tuesday in Oklahoma City.

The Oklahoma City Thunder will face off against the Minnesota Timberwolves, led by Anthony Edwards, in the Western Conference Finals for a spot in the NBA Finals. Game one is scheduled for Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on ESPN.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander expressed satisfaction with the win, saying, “It feels good. Obviously our ultimate goal isn't just the Western Conference finals - but we've got to go through there to get there.” The Thunder finished the regular season with a 68-14 record, ranking first in the NBA, while the Timberwolves had a 49-33 record, ranking 10th.

The series is expected to be intense, with both teams showcasing impressive skills. The Timberwolves have had success against the Thunder in recent matchups, including a thrilling 131-128 overtime win on February 25, 2025.

“We put it together tonight and now we've got four games to go get against a really good team in the Timberwolves and that's what we're focused on,” said Shai Gilgeous-Alexander after his team's win.

Gilgeous-Alexander, who is competing with Nikola Jokic for the NBA MVP award, scored alongside Jalen Williams' 24 points. Jokic led the Nuggets with 20 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists, while Christian Braun added 19 points and Jamal Murray scored 13.

The Denver Nuggets were left to rue an error-prone performance that yielded 23 turnovers, which the Oklahoma City Thunder's opportunistic offense capitalized on to score 37 points.

Post-Game Reaction

Denver's interim head coach David Adelman acknowledged the decisive factor in the loss, saying, “The turnovers were a huge issue in this game obviously. Sometimes turnovers as a number don't matter. But 16 steals off live ball turnovers - that's 37 points off your mistakes. You're not going to win a playoff game like that.” The crushing defeat ended Denver's season, despite a remarkable performance on Friday to force a Game 7.

The Denver Nuggets got off to a strong start at the Paycom Center, taking an 11-point lead midway through the first quarter and holding a five-point advantage at the end of the period, 26-21.

However, the game dynamics shifted dramatically in the second quarter as Oklahoma City's potent offense exploded for 39 points, compared to Denver's 20. Jalen Williams led the charge for the Thunder, scoring 17 points in the quarter on 8-of-11 shooting, helping Oklahoma City take a 60-46 lead into halftime.

Got it done in Game 7. WCF up next 😤 pic.twitter.com/LDwGZiOCtt

— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) May 18, 2025

Oklahoma City maintained its momentum from the second quarter, outscoring Denver 37-26 in the third to build an insurmountable lead. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said, “We wanted to keep the pressure on coming out of the half, as we haven't been great in the third quarter this series. We wanted to make that emphasis and come out stronger. We did so.”

The Thunder continued to pour on the points in the fourth quarter, building a staggering 43-point lead at 125-82 with less than four minutes remaining before cruising to victory.

Denver's interim head coach David Adelman lamented his team's inability to capitalize on their strong start, where they took an 11-point lead in the first quarter.

“We wanted to build on that momentum, but they kept bringing new people in and they overwhelmed us,” Adelman said. “That was our opportunity to really take control of the game.”

“I'm crushed for the guys in there. The effort they gave to get into this position and to have the opportunity today. To have the start that we wanted and then for it to go sideways so quickly...it's crushing.”