Nikola Jokic powered the Denver Nuggets to a 121-119 victory over the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals on Monday night.
Jokic, who is a finalist for the NBA MVP award alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, delivered 42 points, 22 rebounds, and six assists in 42 minutes to give Denver a 1-0 lead in the series.
The Thunder entered the night rested after a nine-day layoff, while the Nuggets were just two days removed from a Game 7 win over the Clippers.
Despite the contrast in preparation, the visitors showed no signs of fatigue, outscoring Oklahoma City 71-59 in the second half.
Denver trailed by 10 at halftime but exploded for 71 points after the break, including 36 in a decisive fourth quarter.
Aaron Gordon added 22 points and 14 rebounds for the Nuggets, who also received key contributions from Jamal Murray with 21 points and Russell Westbrook’s 18 off the bench.
Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 33 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists, but Oklahoma City couldn’t generate enough stops late.
Alex Caruso sparked the Thunder’s second unit with 20 points and five made threes, finishing as the only bench player in double figures for Oklahoma City.
Jalen Williams struggled from the field, shooting just 5-of-20 for 16 points, while rookie Chet Holmgren was limited to 12 points and six boards in 28 minutes.
The Thunder shot 42 percent from the floor and 34.9 percent from deep, while the Nuggets hit 44.2 percent of their attempts and won the rebounding battle 63-43.
Jokic’s dominance in the paint and Denver’s physical edge on the glass proved critical against an Oklahoma City team that entered the playoffs ranked first in the West.
The game featured a flagrant foul assessed to Jokic in the second half, but it didn’t slow his momentum in the closing minutes.
Christian Braun chipped in 11 points and 13 rebounds, and Denver outscored Oklahoma City by 15 points with him on the floor.
The win marked Denver’s first road playoff win of the postseason, while the Thunder dropped their first home game since March.
Game 2 is scheduled for Wednesday night in Oklahoma City.
