OKLAHOMA CITY — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 34 factors in three quarters, and the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder set league and crew data in a 149-106 win over the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday evening that tied the Western Convention semifinal collection at one sport apiece.
Oklahoma Metropolis set an NBA playoff file for first-half factors with 87, surpassing the 86 scored by the Cleveland Cavaliers towards the Golden State Warriors in Sport 4 of the NBA Finals on June 9, 2017. Chet Holmgren, who missed two essential free throws late in Sport 1, made a pair with one second remaining within the second quarter to set the file and provides the Thunder an 87-56 lead.
The Thunder tied the file for factors in any half of a playoff sport. Milwaukee had 87 within the second half towards Denver on April 23, 1978.
“Principally it was one crew enjoying tonight,” Denver centre Nikola Jokic mentioned.
The highest-seeded Thunder wished to keep away from taking a 2-0 deficit on the highway. Oklahoma Metropolis grew to become the primary dwelling crew to win a sport within the second spherical. Sport 3 is Friday in Denver.
“We knew what was at stake tonight,” Gilgeous-Alexander mentioned. “We got here out determined. We wished to simply take care and management the issues that we knew we may. And we did a reasonably good job of that, particularly to begin the sport. The beginning carried us via the remainder of the evening.”
Gilgeous-Alexander made 11 of 13 area targets, all 11 of his free throws and had eight assists. He led eight gamers who scored in double figures.
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault mentioned Gilgeous-Alexander did far more than rating.
“He made them pay after they overhelped on him,” Daigneault mentioned. “He had the ball forward of all of them evening, so he obtained his teammates pictures, too. It wasn’t only a one-man present. He was tremendous environment friendly. I imply, he had an unbelievable mix tonight.”
Jokic, who had 42 factors and 22 rebounds in a Sport 1 win, had simply 17 factors and eight rebounds on Wednesday earlier than fouling out late within the third quarter.
Russell Westbrook led the Nuggets with 19 factors. Oklahoma Metropolis’s crowd cheered for the ex-Thunder star when he entered Sport 1 as a reserve, however the followers modified their method and booed him shortly after he entered Sport 2. Westbrook obtained referred to as for a technical foul moments later, and Gilgeous-Alexander made the free throw to make it 34-13.
The Thunder led 45-21 at the top of the primary quarter after capturing 71.4 per cent from the sphere and setting a crew file for factors in 1 / 4 in a playoff sport.
“We obtained punked, and we didn’t play properly sufficient and so they got here out with the appropriate depth,” Denver interim coach David Adelman mentioned. “We didn’t.”
Oklahoma Metropolis continued its dominance within the second quarter. A lob from Gilgeous-Alexander to Jalen Williams for a two-handed jam gave the Thunder a 78-43 lead.
Oklahoma Metropolis led 124-76 after three quarters. The most important lead was 49 factors.
Adelman mentioned he would not decrease the loss, although the Nuggets head again to Denver with home-court benefit.
“I’m not sitting right here tonight speaking concerning the 1-1 factor tonight,” he mentioned. “Not tonight. We’re not going to flush that. We’ve obtained to be higher. We all know that. That being mentioned, it’s good to know that you just obtained a win beneath your belt.”
Source link
#GilgeousAlexander #scores #Thunder #roll #Nuggets #tie #West #semis
