The Denver Nuggets took a pivotal 2-1 lead in their Western Conference semifinal series by defeating the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder 113-104 in overtime Friday night at Ball Arena.
Jamal Murray delivered 27 points, eight assists and four steals to lead Denver, which rebounded from a 43-point loss in Game 2.
Aaron Gordon added 22 points and eight rebounds, while Michael Porter Jr., playing through a left shoulder injury, contributed 21 points on 7-of-10 shooting.
Nikola Jokic endured a rough shooting night—missing all 10 of his three-point attempts—but still managed 20 points, 16 rebounds and six assists, including a critical overtime layup that sparked the Nuggets’ game-winning 11-2 run.
The Thunder struggled down the stretch, converting just one of their nine overtime possessions after controlling most of regulation.
Oklahoma City led for nearly the entire game and held a two-point edge entering the fourth, but Denver forced overtime and dominated from there.
Jalen Williams paced the Thunder with 32 points, while rookie Chet Holmgren had 18 points and 16 rebounds.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who entered the game as an MVP finalist, finished with 18 points on 7-of-22 shooting and missed a potential go-ahead jumper with three seconds left in regulation.
Jokic also had a shot to win in the final second, but his contested mid-range attempt clanged off the rim.
The Nuggets shot 40% from deep and outrebounded Oklahoma City 49-54 overall, including key boards in overtime.
Russell Westbrook added eight points and four assists off the bench for Denver, while Christian Braun chipped in eight points and seven boards in a strong defensive effort.
Porter’s performance marked his most efficient game of the playoffs despite limited mobility, going 5-for-6 from three-point range.
Oklahoma City, the league’s No. 1 seed and top team in point differential during the regular season, shot just 38.5% from the field and 25.7% from beyond the arc.
The Thunder also committed 11 turnovers and struggled to generate quality looks during overtime.
Game 4 is scheduled for Sunday in Denver, where Denver will aim to take a commanding 3-1 series lead.
