The Denver Nuggets have pulled off a dramatic 121–119 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder, snatching Game 1 in the Western Conference Semi-Finals and stealing home court advantage in the process.
The Thunder, who swept the Grizzlies and came in fresh, were expected to dominate the Nuggets, who had just come off a brutal seven-game series against the Clippers. With a deeper bench and strong performances from role players like Alex Caruso, OKC looked to be in control throughout, holding multiple double-digit leads.
But Denver had other ideas — and finished each quarter stronger, especially the fourth.
Up 111–101 with under three minutes remaining, Oklahoma City looked set to ice the game. But the Nuggets launched a desperate rally, cutting the lead to just three points with 11 seconds remaining.
Then came the turning point — with no timeouts remaining and Jokic subbed off for defence, the Thunder made a baffling decision to foul Aaron Gordon. He coolly sank both free throws, allowing Jokic to return. Chet Holmgren then missed both of his from the stripe, and Gordon stepped up again, draining a clutch three-pointer to seal a stunning win.
Caruso was a spark plug off the bench for the Thunder with 10 points, five steals and two blocks. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led OKC with 20 points.
Jokic finished with 22 points and 16 rebounds, overcoming six turnovers, while Gordon added 22 points and 14 rebounds in a starring role.
Adelman, Gordon Praise Team's Composure
Denver interim coach David Adelman said Gordon's all-round performance showed why he's the "soul of the team."
“Aaron is a Denver Nugget through and through. So cool to see him have a moment like that,” Adelman said.
Gordon added: “We stayed poised and believed we’d win no matter the situation. A lot of guys stepped up.”
Brunson Guides Knicks to Shocking OT Win Over Celtics
Over in the East, the New York Knicks pulled off one of the great playoff comebacks, overturning a 20-point deficit to beat the Boston Celtics 108–105 in overtime and take a 1-0 lead in their semi-final series.
Jalen Brunson was again the star of the show, backing up his 40-point effort in the previous round with another 29-point game, including five three-pointers. OG Anunoby also stepped up massively, scoring 29 points of his own and knocking down six threes.
According to stats shared by Keerthika Uthayakumar and Keith Smith, the Celtics’ blown 20-point lead was their worst in playoff history since at least 1997. Boston also set an unwanted record with 45 missed three-pointers (15-of-60).
Knicks Rally From 20 Down to Take Game 1
The Celtics looked to be cruising early, building a 72–52 lead in the third quarter. But the Knicks came roaring back, led by Anunoby and Brunson, who scored 21 combined points to slash the margin.
Al Horford momentarily steadied the ship with a late triple, giving Boston a 9-point edge heading into the fourth. But New York came out firing again, with McBride and Anunoby hitting quick threes to trim the gap.
The Knicks tied it up at 86–86 with eight minutes to go, and an 11-point burst from Brunson saw them jump ahead 97–91.
Although Brunson missed a potential game-winner in regulation, the Knicks held strong in overtime with Anunoby, Towns, and Bridges stepping up to secure a gutsy win.
Coach Thibodeau Hails Team Effort
“It was a great team win,” said Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau.
“We started well, fell into a hole, but fought back and made the big plays late.”
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla admitted his team let it slip: “We left too many good shooters open. We need to be better with the details.”
What’s Next?
Game 2 of both series will be played later this week, with Boston and Oklahoma City desperate to bounce back and avoid going down 0–2.
Stay tuned for more playoff action — and don’t forget, Aussies can catch all the NBA Conference Finals and the Finals live on Kayo Sports, with a $1 trial for new subscribers.
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