, the 2024-25 NBA Western Conference semifinals officially kicked off, with the top seed in the regular season, the Oklahoma City Thunder, facing the defending champion Denver Nuggets at home. In a game that was ups and downs and was decided at the last minute, the Nuggets relied on Aaron Gordon's buzzer-beating shot to beat the Thunder 121-119 and grab the first victory of the series.

At the beginning of the game, both teams failed to get into the game quickly. Although the Thunder played at home, they failed to continue the strong momentum of sweeping the Grizzlies in the first round, while the Nuggets had a cold touch from the outside and a low shooting percentage. In the first quarter, neither team broke through 30 points and the rhythm was stalemate.

Entering the second quarter, the Thunder gradually regained their offensive rhythm. Led by Alexander, the team launched a counterattack, scoring 33 points in a single quarter, quickly widening the score gap. The Nuggets still seemed slow on both offense and defense, and were already behind by double digits at the end of the half. The Thunder, who seemed to have a sure win, established a good lead at home.

However, the situation changed suddenly in the second half. The Nuggets obviously made effective adjustments in the locker room and gradually narrowed the gap in the third quarter. Although the Thunder still maintained the lead with stable outside output, the situation changed completely in the fourth quarter. Jokic's unstoppable performance completely tore through the Thunder's defense and turned the tide in the interior, while Murray, Gordon and others also stepped up in time to help counterattack.

The end of the last quarter was the climax of the entire game. The Thunder remained resilient, and under the leadership of Alexander and Caruso, they managed to maintain a slight lead. But as time passed, the Nuggets gradually overtook them. In the final moments of the game, the score was tied, and the Nuggets organized the last attack. Gordon received the ball under the basket and made a strong attack to complete the buzzer-beating buzzer-beating shot. The Thunder's home court fell into silence, and the Nuggets completed a stunning reversal.

Nuggets player statistics

Jokic 42 points, 22 rebounds , 6 assists , 2 blocks, Aaron Gordon 22 points , 14 rebounds , 1 assist, Murray 21 points , 6 rebounds , 6 assists, Westbrook 18 points , 2 rebounds , 2 assists, Braun 11 points , 13 rebounds , 3 assists, Watson 3 points , 1 rebound , 2 steals , 2 blocks, Porter 2 points , 4 rebounds, Strawther 2 points , 1 rebound

Thunder player statistics

Alexander 33 points, 10 rebounds , 8 assists , 2 steals, Caruso 20 points , 1 rebound , 6 assists , 5 steals , 2 blocks , Jaylenway 16 points , 7 rebounds, 4 assists , 2 steals , 2 blocks , Dort 14 points , 2 rebounds, 1 assist, Hartenstein 12 points , 9 rebounds , 1 assist , Holmgren 12 points , 6 rebounds, 2 assists , 4 blocks , Wiggins 5 points , 4 rebounds , Jaylenway 4 points , 1 rebound, Wallace 3 points , 2 rebounds , 3 assists, Joe 1 rebound, 2 assists

With the Nuggets taking the lead on the road, the series situation was reversed in an instant. Although the Thunder had the home advantage, they exposed their lack of experience at the critical moment. Next, G2 will continue in Oklahoma. Can the Thunder adjust their state to complete the counterattack, or can the Nuggets take advantage of the victory to win another victory? It is worth waiting to see.