Game 1 showed why Denver remains a formidable playoff force, even against the NBA’s top regular-season team.
Now stuck in mid-air and forced to decide he’s been coached not to, Christian Braun lofts the ball toward Jokic. It barely clears the outstretched fingertips. The Thunder have been relentless on defense all night, pushing every inch. Jokic swings the ball back to Braun, his body language signaling, Hold on, give me a moment.
As the two battle—Jokic against Dort in a tussle for position—Jokic raises his hand, signaling his readiness. The ball arcs in the air, but as Jokic fights for space, Dort pushes him in the back, hard. The whistle blows.
Frustration boils over. Jokic has been battling all night, often engaged in a physical struggle. With less than 10 minutes left in the game, he’s had enough. One dribble. A powerful backdown. Arm extended, and then an elbow to the back of Dort’s head.
Jokic immediately knows what he’s done. The review comes back: Flagrant foul. But that moment of raw emotion becomes a spark, igniting a 4th-quarter comeback where Jokic dominates, constantly creating problems for the Thunder.
With the Thunder up three and only seconds remaining, they opted to foul—a strategy that had worked all season intentionally, but now seemed to backfire. After Jokic and Aaron Gordon hit free throws, Chet Holmgren missed two critical attempts at the line. That set the stage for a game-winning three-pointer from Gordon, assisted by former Thunder legend Russell Westbrook.
The Denver Nuggets stunned the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals, rallying from a double-digit deficit to steal a 121-119 win on the road. Despite just one day of rest after a grueling Game 7 against the Clippers, Denver showed remarkable resilience, led by Nikola Jokic’s monster 42-point, 22-rebound performance.
Oklahoma City, fresh off eight days of rest and a dominant first-round sweep, looked in control for much of the night. The Thunder’s defense was relentless, and Chet Holmgren’s rim protection helped OKC build a double-digit lead by halftime. But the Nuggets chipped away, with Jokic battling through physical defense and foul trouble.
Denver’s composure and patience down the stretch were key. Interim coach David Adelman praised his team’s mentality and credited Gordon’s leadership and clutch play, calling him “the soul of our team.” Fueled by Jokic’s relentless drive and Gordon’s heroics, the Nuggets’ comeback flipped the script on a night when OKC was heavily favored.
Game 1 showed why Denver remains a formidable playoff force, even against the NBA’s top regular-season team.
