When given the option between winning ugly or losing with style, NBA players and coaches will almost always choose the former. If it were earlier in the season, perhaps losing with flair would carry some merit. But when May rolls around, and the intensity of the NBA playoffs makes even the most elite teams look flawed, the decision becomes clear: Winning always takes precedence.
This was the case for the Oklahoma City Thunder, who won a gritty, hard-fought battle against the Denver Nuggets in Game 4, edging them 92-87 to tie their Western Conference semifinal series at 2-2. While the Thunder’s shooting was far from perfect—posting a mere 35.6% from the field and a dismal 24.4% from behind the arc—it was their suffocating defense that ultimately sealed the deal. They stifled the Nuggets’ offense and kept star Nikola Jokic in check.
Oklahoma City avoided falling into a 3-1 hole, and history favors the team that wins Game 5 in a tied series: The victor of Game 5 in a 2-2 series has gone on to win the series 81.3% of the time (192-44). Game 5 takes place in Oklahoma City on Tuesday at 9:30 p.m. ET.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder’s MVP finalist, led the charge with 25 points, six rebounds, six assists, and two steals. Though he struggled from beyond the arc, missing all five of his 3-point attempts, he thrived inside the paint, hitting 8 of 14 attempts from two-point range. His aggressiveness not only helped him score but also earned him trips to the free-throw line, where he excelled. Gilgeous-Alexander had a banner season at the charity stripe, leading the league in free throws made (7.9 per game) and ranking third in free throw attempts (8.8). After a quiet performance in Game 3, he was back to his usual self, hitting 9 of 12 free throws, including 9 crucial points in the fourth quarter.
Oklahoma City’s bench also proved invaluable. Known for having one of the NBA’s deepest rosters, the Thunder leaned on their reserves to step up in Game 4. The starters, excluding Gilgeous-Alexander, combined for a meager 11-for-40 shooting performance, including a dismal 2-for-18 from 3-point range. However, the bench outperformed Denver’s, scoring 35 points to the Nuggets’ 8. Cason Wallace contributed 11 points, five rebounds, and two steals, while Aaron Wiggins added 11 points and six rebounds. Alex Caruso chipped in with 10 points, four rebounds, and two assists, and collectively, the bench posted a plus-38 rating.
Defensively, the Thunder were exceptional. They held Denver to a paltry 31.3% shooting, including just 24.4% from deep. They also capitalized on 14 Nuggets turnovers, turning them into 18 points. Oklahoma City had their own turnover issues, committing 14, but managed to limit Denver to just eight points off those miscues. Jalen Williams was particularly disruptive with three steals, while Gilgeous-Alexander and Wallace each recorded two steals, showcasing the Thunder’s ability to disrupt Denver’s rhythm.
Aaron Gordon played well for Denver, finishing with 15 points, 16 rebounds, and six assists. He made two crucial 3-point attempts in the final seconds of the game—one drawing three free throws and the other banking in off the backboard to cut Oklahoma City’s lead to 90-87. Despite Gordon’s efforts, Denver’s offense as a whole struggled.
Nikola Jokic, Denver’s MVP finalist, has been far from his usual dominant self in this series. While Jokic had 27 points in Game 4, 11 of them came from the free-throw line, and he shot just 7-for-22 from the field. Throughout the series, the Thunder have managed to limit his impact after his stellar Game 1 performance, where he posted 42 points and 22 rebounds. In the past three games, Jokic has averaged just 21.3 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 5.0 assists while shooting 33.3% from the field and a concerning 18.2% from three. Oklahoma City’s defense deserves credit for this decline in Jokic’s play, forcing Denver’s coaching staff to figure out how to free up their star player.
The 3-point shooting in this game was dismal. In the first half, both teams combined for a woeful 6-for-44 from beyond the arc, with each shooting 3-for-22. The second half showed slight improvement, but both teams finished under 25% from 3-point range.
Finally, Michael Porter Jr. continues to battle through a left shoulder injury that has been hampering his performance. Though not officially listed on the injury report, Porter has been playing through discomfort since the first round. He had an impressive Game 3, scoring 21 points on 7-for-10 shooting, but has been struggling since. In Game 4, he went 1-for-7, missing all five of his 3-point attempts.
In the end, it was Oklahoma City’s ugly win that mattered most, and the Thunder head into Game 5 with renewed confidence, knowing they’ve tied the series and are poised to take control of the matchup.
