Camille Naredo

Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets looks on against the Chicago Bulls during the first half at the United Center on January 27, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. Michael Reaves, Getty Images/AFP 

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JANUARY 27: Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets looks on against the Chicago Bulls during the first half at the United Center on January 27, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.   Michael Reaves/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Michael Reaves / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)

Article (news)

Denver Nuggets v Chicago Bulls

Agence France-Presse

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1747370304082AFP__20250131__2196297012__v3__HighRes__DenverNuggetsVChicagoBulls.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets looks on against the Chicago Bulls during the first half at the United Center on January 27, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. Michael Reaves, Getty Images/AFP "/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets looks on against the Chicago Bulls during the first half at the United Center on January 27, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. <em>Michael Reaves, Getty Images/AFP</em> </span></span></span></div><p>LOS ANGELES -- Nikola Jokic scored 29 points and unheralded bench player Julian Strawther produced a crucial late burst as the Denver Nuggets clinched a series-leveling 119-107 victory over the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday.</p><p>A hard-fought NBA Western Conference semi-final series will now go to a decisive Game 7 in Oklahoma City on Sunday after another ferocious duel between two evenly matched teams.</p><p>Serbian star Jokic was once again the anchor of a composed Denver performance, finishing with 29 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists to shepherd the Nuggets to victory.</p><p>Jamal Murray added 25 points while Christian Braun finished with 23. But arguably the most significant contribution came from the bench, with Strawther scoring 15 points.</p><p>&quot;Tonight we had a guy step up,&quot; Nuggets interim head coach David Adelman said of Strawther&#x27;s performance. &quot;He made some shots and then our main people were still complementary.&quot;</p><p>Denver&#x27;s win came after they had fallen 3-2 down in the series following late stumbles to lose games four and five.</p><p>&quot;Those losses were tough but the series is still here,&quot; Adelman said. &quot;I know it&#x27;s a cliche, but every game is its own chapter, its own thing, its own entity and different people are going to step up.</p><p>&quot;And now we&#x27;ve put ourselves in a position where we can say, &#x27;Hey, let&#x27;s go see what happens on Sunday&#x27;. And I know I&#x27;ve got a group of guys that have been in a lot of game sevens and seen a lot of things. So we&#x27;re excited for the opportunity.&quot;</p><p>Oklahoma City looked ready to clinch a series victory after surging into a 12-point lead late in the second quarter at Denver&#x27;s Ball Arena.</p><p>But Denver, as they have done all series, once again refused to roll over and rallied to trim the Thunder lead to 61-58 at the break.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>- &#x27;They threw a punch&#x27; -</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wExsP7bi1j8?&amp;pp=0gcJCY0JAYcqIYzv&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></div><p>There was little to choose between the teams for most of the third quarter, and with just under two minutes remaining in the frame, the score was level at 80-80.</p><p>Yet within moments Denver had suddenly opened up a double-digit advantage after a 10-0 run that put the Nuggets into a 90-80 lead.</p><p>The scoring spree came from an unlikely source, with the 23-year-old Strawther, in only his second season in the league, suddenly finding his scoring range.</p><p>Strawther knocked down back-to-back three-pointers followed by a layup to rattle in eight of the 10 points in the Denver run.</p><p>With their noses in front, the 2023 NBA champions ruthlessly held a firm grip on the contest through the fourth quarter, keeping the Thunder safely at arm&#x27;s length to close out the win.</p><p>Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led Oklahoma City&#x27;s scoring with 32 points while Chet Holmgren finished with 19.</p><p>Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault said his team, who recorded a league-best 68 wins in the regular season, would be ready to bounce back on their home court on Sunday.</p><p>&quot;First of all credit Denver -- they threw a punch tonight, as has happened all series,&quot; Daigneault said. &quot;Both teams have been exchanging blows and they got theirs in tonight.</p><p>&quot;Both teams have done a great job so far of getting back up, including us, and we need to do that on Sunday.</p><p>&quot;Other than that, we need to be who we&#x27;ve been all season and embrace the opportunity that&#x27;s in front of us.</p><p>&quot;We get to play that game at home on Sunday because of the work we did during the regular season. So we&#x27;re obviously disappointed in the outcome tonight, but when the ball goes up in the air we&#x27;ll be excited to go.&quot;</p><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div>

<p>A hard-fought NBA Western Conference semi-final series will now go to a decisive Game 7. #NBA #NBAplayoffs </p>

A hard-fought NBA Western Conference semi-final series will now go to a decisive Game 7. #NBA #NBAplayoffs

NBA: Jokic, Strawther star as Nuggets down Thunder to tie series

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NBA: Jokic, Strawther star as Nuggets down Thunder to tie series

Agence France-Presse,

Rob Woollard

Published May 16, 2025 12:39 PM PHT

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