'So dumb': Blunder in dying seconds costs Oklahoma City home court advantage as Nuggets series ignited by thrilling game one
A two-day turnaround from a seven-game series against the Clippers was not enough to slow the Nuggets as a thrilling match-winning shot denied the Thunder of a win.
Game one of the Western Conference semi finals was not short of entertainment as top-seeded Oklahoma fell to a 121-120 loss in front of a home crowd.
Everything looked to be going in favour of the Thunder until midway through the final quarter as the Nuggets unveiled a stellar comeback to narrow the margin to one point.
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Leading by one, Oklahoma's Chet Holmgren lined up for his final free throw but his shot failed to pass through the net as it bounced back into the hands of Christian Braun.
Braun quickly passed the ball down the court to find Russell Westbrook, who set up Aaron Gordon to nail a match-winner on top of Holmgren
Aaron Gordon makes the game winning shot. NBAE via Getty Images
The shot marked the second time Gordon has hit a match-winner in the playoffs.
"It feels good," Gordon said post-match.
"I'm just out here moving, making the right play."
That final flurry wasn't the biggest talking point from the dying stages, however, with the Thunder drawing criticism for a decision to deliberately foul superstar Nikola Jokic when they were three points ahead late in the fourth quarter. The decision to force a foul late in the match is not an uncommon strategy for the Thunder, although this time it proved a costly choice.
"OKC deserved to lose," NBA pundit Kevin O'Connor wrote on X.
"Horribly managed the end of that game. So dumb to foul up 3 when Jokic was off the floor and the Nuggets had not time outs."
Oklahoman writer Joel Lorenzi said: "This is brutal, brutal close and way to lose game one after more than a week of rest for OKC.
"Really no reason to lose that game."
However, coach Mark Diagneault refused to cite the incident as the reason for defeat.
"I mean, that's usually our deal - to foul up three," Diagneault said post-match.
"I thought we executed the fouls pretty well. It's worked out well for us in the past.
"I don't think that's why we lost the game."
Nikola Jokic had 42 points and 22 rebounds, and Gordon hit a 3-pointer in the closing seconds to give the Denver Nuggets the first win of the Western semi final series.
Oklahoma City, out of timeouts, missed a desperation heave as time expired.
Denver's Russell Westbrook, who started his career with the Thunder, assisted on Gordon's game-winner. It was his first playoff game in Oklahoma City as an opposing player.
Aaron Gordon (32) of the Denver Nuggets sneers as teammates mob him after hitting a game-winning jumper over Chet Holmgren (7) of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Denver Post via Getty Images
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 33 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists for the Thunder, who hadn't played in more than a week after sweeping the Memphis Grizzlies.
Alex Caruso added 20 points, six assists and five steals.
Jokic picked up three fouls during a two-minute stretch in the third quarter after committing just one foul in the first half.
He stayed in the game with the Thunder leading 73-64.
The Nuggets closed the gap to 90-85 by the end of the third quarter.
With the Thunder leading 104-95 and just under seven minutes remaining, Jokic elbowed Lu Dort in the head on a drive, and the play was reviewed.
The play was ruled a flagrant one on Jokic — his fifth foul — and Dort made two free throws. Denver spent the rest of the game closing the gap.
