Shai Gilgeous-Alexander delivered a 35-point game, Jalen Williams chipped in 24 more, and the Oklahoma City Thunder surged past the Denver Nuggets with a 125-93 win in Game 7 on Sunday.
The top-seeded Thunder punched their ticket to the Western Conference Finals and will now face the sixth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves, with the series set to tip off in Oklahoma City on Tuesday.
It marks the Thunder’s return to the Western Finals for the first time since 2016.
Oklahoma City, who led the league with 68 wins during the regular season, come into the play-offs off the back of a disappointing end to last year’s postseason, where they were knocked out by the Dallas Mavericks in the conference semi-finals despite holding the No. 1 seed.
To reach this stage, the Thunder had to overcome a Denver team led by three-time MVP Nikola Jokic. The defending NBA champions had edged out the Los Angeles Clippers in a seven-game first-round series before running into a red-hot OKC squad.
Jokic finished with 20 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists in the season-ending loss. Forward Aaron Gordon, who played a crucial role in Denver’s playoff run and hit the game-winner in Game 1 against Oklahoma City, battled through a strained left hamstring to start. He ended the night with eight points and 11 rebounds in 25 minutes of action.
Got it done in Game 7. WCF up next 😤 pic.twitter.com/LDwGZiOCtt
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) May 18, 2025
Despite trailing by 11 points early in the game, the Thunder stormed back in the second quarter. They turned the tide by outscoring Denver 39-20 in the period, securing a 60-46 lead heading into half-time.
A flagrant-1 foul was assessed to Gordon early in the third after he elbowed Gilgeous-Alexander in the face.
Gilgeous-Alexander made both free throws, and then Williams hit a short jumper to give Oklahoma City a 66-46 lead.
Later in the quarter, Cason Wallace brought the crowd to its feet with a breakaway dunk over Jokic that extended the Thunder’s advantage to 78-57. By the end of the third, Oklahoma City had stretched the margin to 97-72, cruising comfortably into the final frame.
From there it was plain sailing, with the Nuggets withdrawing their starters for the majority of the fourth quarter.
The Thunder will now have just a few days rest before the Finals, while the Timberwolves have had some extra time to prepare.
