By defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder 119-107 on Thursday night, the Denver Nuggets avoided elimination and advanced this semifinal match to a crucial Game 7 on Sunday, which might have been the series-deciding game for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Although many people might be quick to blame Jalen Williams’ dismal performance of 6 points on 18.8% shooting or Nikola Jokic’s dominant 29 points, 14 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block stat line for the game’s final result, the most important contributing factors turned out to be neither.
Denver’s second-unit played major role in Thunder’s Game 6 demise
In a startling change of events, though, the Nuggets’ reserves witnessed a surge during their crucial Game 6 matchup. Their second unit scored 27 points, which was by far their biggest series total outside of the garbage-time output displayed during Game 2’s thumping.
Now, even though the Thunder were still in control of bench scoring, leading by five points with a total of 32, they were severely outscored in what turned out to be the game-deciding second half. Denver lost 19 points during this time, with Julian Strawther acting as the X-factor with a massive 14 points on his own, while OKC only managed 12.
This type of improvement in play ultimately made the difference that evening, as Oklahoma City’s lead at the half (61-58) rapidly diminished as the Nuggets’ tertiary alternatives began to heat up.
Having their bench come alive on top of this only adds to the difficulties the Thunder have, given how formidable Denver has already been with just players like Aaron Gordon, Jamal Murray, and Jokic playing the way they have.
OKC needs to figure out how to minimize Denver’s secondary players and put them back in a dormant state during Sunday’s winner-take-all matinee.