Thanks to the bench, Okc recovers a game that at the beginning of the last quarter seemed lost. Another mediocre test of Jokic
Oklahoma risks so much, too much, but it is saved. Vince 92-87 Race 4 in Denver recovering 8 disadvantage points in the last quarter and draws the second round of the second round with the Nuggets on 2-2. Thanks to the bench, the freshness of the reserves, which mark 35 points against the 8 of the opponents. Nikola Jokic Titpa the game, the second in a row, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander does not do better, also he grants the encore compared to race 3, the attacks are a disaster, very far from the 100 final points, derailed by the pressure, by the fear of making mistakes.
NBA key factor
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The Ball Arena prevails the most younger guest registry. In the negative for the home team, the very short rotation makes the difference. Nuggets play six (competitive) since the beginning of the season: when it matters more they pay the account, inevitably. If only the disastrous ex General Manager, Calvin Booth, had put a couple of decent reserves in the staff, the Nuggets would be the favorites for the title today. Instead they seem cooked and passed off. Race 5 is scheduled for Tuesday in Oklahoma City from the 3.30 Italians of the night of Wednesday 14 May.
Flop Jokic
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The two first candidates for the most prestigious recognition this time do not even resemble the best player of the season. Jokic Pare Nurkic, if anything. He pulls 7/21 from the field, he defends little and bad. He even misses the free shots with the race in the balance, in the sprint. Smazza only 3 assists, it seems exhausted. Gilgeous-Alexander with the season in the balance is saved by the various Alex Caruso, Aaron Wiggins and Cason Wallace, his series has so far been disappointing. Pull 8/19, save himself by starting in the bezel.
false departure
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The beginning is on the contrary. Nerve teams, they combine with all colors. They fight with the basket. Denver starts 2/21, 0/14 from 3 points. At the end of the first quarter Oklahoma City is ahead 17-8 with the referees who call foul to anyone who breathes near Gilgeous-Alexander. The Thunders are ahead of 9 while pulling 1/11 from 3. Jokic zero points, muta scene. Oklahoma City is more intense, stretches 23-8, but he cannot seal the game, yet he should Joker marks his first basket in the middle of the 2nd period, Christian Braun, the best of his, reports the Nuggets on -5 by attacking the iron as pulling from outside the basket seems to have the lid. To the delight of Mikaela Shiffrin, at the game, the native super skier of Colorado. Thunder forward 42-36 in the middle of the game with Jokic that marks the triple on the siren of the first 24 ‘. At the interval 15 points for Shai, 11 for the Joker. Obscen attacks: the hosts pull with 21%, guests with 34%. Of the Thunder the least worst was Caruso.
the sprint
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The “usual” Gordon, who has marked many of them in the playoffs ’25, realizes the triple of overtaking Nuggets, that of 53-52. The 10-0 partial is worth Denver on 58-52. Short Thunder circuit, challenged to the shooting from the perimeter. To help are the reserves, Wiggins and Wallace, who have the unconsciousness in order not to suffer the heaviness of the moment and mark from outside: 69-63 Denver after 36 ‘. Thunder “dangerous”. Denver +8 at the beginning of the 4th quarter, but OKC counter-orpass on the triple of Wallace of 75-73. Thunder reserves go a thousand per hour. Jokic is exhausted, Thunder +5 with 1 ‘to play, the Nuggets no longer have it. Wins Oklahoma City who resumes the field advantage and the role of favorite.
- Denver Jokic 27 (5/14, 2/8, 11/14 TL), Braun/Murray 17. Hinders: Jokic 13. Assist: Gordon 6
- Oklahoma City Gilgeous-Alexander 25 (8/14, 0/5, 9/12 TL, Wiggins/Wallace 11. Hinders: Hartentein 14. Assist: Gilgeous-Alexander 6
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