Denver Nuggets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (Second Round Preview)
CLASH OF TWO WORLDS
Both teams tied the regular season series at 2-2.
FOUGHT BATTLES
OCTOBER 24, 2024
Outcome:
Thunder won, 102-87
Scoring leaders (points):
Thunder:
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (28)
Chet Holmgren (25)
Aaron Wiggins (15)
Jalen Williams (12)
Nuggets:
Nikola Jokic (16)
Christian Braun (16)
Michael Porter (15)
Jamal Murray (12)
Aaron Gordon (12)
NOVEMBER 6, 2024
Outcome:
Nuggets won, 124-122
Scoring leaders (points):
Thunder:
Jalen Williams (29)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (28)
Chet Holmgren (15)
Aaron Wiggins (13)
Luguentz Dort (11)
Isaiah Joe (11)
Nuggets:
Russell Westbrook (29)
Michael Porter (24)
Christian Braun (24)
Nikola Jokic (23)
Peyton Watson (10)
MARCH 9, 2025
Outcome:
Thunder won, 127-103
Scoring leaders (points):
Nuggets:
Nikola Jokic (24)
Michael Porter (24)
Christian Braun (19)
Jamal Murray (17)
Thunder:
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (40)
Jalen Williams (26)
Chet Holmgren (14)
Isaiah Hartenstein (10)
MARCH 10, 2025
Outcome:
Nuggets won, 140-127
Scoring leaders (points):
Nuggets:
Nikola Jokic (35)
Jamal Murray (34)
Michael Porter (17)
Russell Westbrook (16)
Peyton Watson (16)
Christian Braun (14)
Thunder:
Luguentz Dort (26)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (25)
Isaiah Hartenstein (20)
Alex Caruso (13)
Jalen Williams (12)
Cason Wallace (12)
NO PLACE LIKE HOME…OR THE ROAD
The Nuggets were 26-15 at home and 24-17 on the road.
The Thunder were 36-6 at home and 32-8 on the road.
TEAM AVERAGES
Nuggets:
120.8 points scored
45.4 field goals (50.6%)
12.0 3-pointers (37.6%)
14.4 second chance points scored
10.5 clutch points scored
Thunder:
120.5 points scored
44.6 field goals (48.2%)
14.5 3-pointers (37.4%)
14.8 second chance points scored
6.9 clutch points scored
TEAM AVERAGES (vs. opponent)
Nuggets (vs. Thunder):
113.5 points scored
42.3 field goals (45.7%)
13.3 3-pointers (35.8%)
Thunder (vs. Nuggets):
119.5 points scored
45.0 field goals (45.6%)
14.0 3-pointers (34.8%)
LINE ‘EM UP
Nuggets:
PG: Jamal Murray
SG: Christian Braun
SF: Michael Porter
PF: Aaron Gordon
C: Nikola Jokic
Thunder:
SG: Luguentz Dort
SF: Jalen Williams
PF: Chet Holmgren
PLAYER AVERAGES
Nuggets:
Murray: 24.5 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 6.0 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.4 BPG, 4.4 3PM
Braun: 11.7 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 3.4 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.2 BPG, 1.8 3PM
Porter: 9.8 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 1.3 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.4 BPG, 1.7 3PM
Gordon: 17.5 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 5.4 APG, 1.4 SPG, 0.3 BPG, 0.6 3PM
Jokic: 9.0 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 5.6 APG, 1.5 SPG, 1.0 BPG, 1.2 3PM
Thunder:
Gilgeous-Alexander: 14.1 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 5.6 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.4 BPG, 2.7 3PM
Dort: 21.0 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 3.4 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.3 BPG, 2.9 3PM
Williams: 14.0 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 1.7 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.2 BPG, 2.5 3PM
Holmgren: 14.1 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 3.8 APG, 1.4 SPG, 1.3 BPG, 0.4 3PM
Hartenstein: 19.1 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 4.9 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 0.3 3PM
PLAYER AVERAGES (PLAYOFFS)
Nuggets:
Murray: 22.9 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 5.9 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.9 BPG, 2.7 3PM
Braun: 12.6 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 2.4 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.4 BPG, 1.1 3PM
Porter: 10.9 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 0.7 APG, 0.4 SPG, 0.4 BPG, 2.1 3PM
Gordon: 18.9 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 2.1 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.4 BPG, 1.0 3PM
Jokic: 24.0 PPG, 11.6 RPG, 10.1 APG, 2.3 SPG, 0.9 BPG, 2.0 3PM
Thunder:
Gilgeous-Alexander: 27.8 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 6.0 APG, 1.3 SPG, 1.0 BPG, 1.8 3PM
Dort: 6.5 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 0.5 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 1.5 3PM
Williams: 23.3 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 5.3 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 1.5 3PM
Holmgren: 18.5 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 0.8 APG, 0.8 SPG, 2.8 BPG, 2.8 3PM
Hartenstein: 9.0 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 3.8 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.3 BPG, 0.0 3PM
PLAYER AVERAGES (vs. opponent)
Nuggets (vs. Thunder):
Murray: 21.0 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 4.7 APG, 1.7 SPG, 0.0 BPG, 2.0 3PM
Braun: 18.3 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.3 SPG, 1.0 BPG, 2.3 3PM
Porter: 20.0 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 1.8 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.3 BPG, 3.8 3PM
Gordon: 8.5 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 1.0 APG, 0.5 SPG, 0.0 BPG, 0.5 3PM
Jokic: 24.5 PPG, 15.8 RPG, 11.5 APG, 1.5 SPG, 1.8 BPG, 1.3 3PM
Thunder (vs. Nuggets):
Gilgeous-Alexander: 30.3 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 6.5 APG, 1.0 SPG, 2.3 BPG, 1.8 3PM
Dort: 12.0 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 1.5 APG, 2.8 SPG, 1.3 BPG, 3.3 3PM
Williams: 19.8 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 6.5 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 2.3 3PM
Holmgren: 15.5 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 1.8 APG, 0.5 SPG, 2.8 BPG, 0.8 3PM
Hartenstein: 15.0 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 1.5 APG, 0.0 SPG, 0.0 BPG, 0.0 3PM
Cory Nelson is a contributor to The Lead. He attended Northern Virginia Community College. He can be reached at corymckenzienelson@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @CKenzyNelson, Instagram @ckenzynelson, and Threads @ckenzynelson