Thunder's Missed Chance: Nuggets Force Game 7

The Thunder had a real shot at sealing the deal against the Nuggets in Game 6, but it just wasn't their night. The Nuggets, on the other hand, were all over the Thunder, pushing them around and making their presence known. The Thunder's coach, Mark Daigneault, looked like he was trying to draw up a miracle play to save his team from their collective heartache. The Thunder players headed to the locker room with their heads down, while the crowd at Ball Arena let out a chorus of boos. The Nuggets were relentless, especially in the second half. They outplayed the Thunder, executing better and making more plays. The Thunder's young team struggled to keep up with the Nuggets' physicality and experience. The Nuggets' role players stepped up big time, with Christian Braun and Julian Strawther making key contributions. The Nuggets also dominated the free-throw line, taking twice as many shots as the Thunder. They also won the battle of the boards, grabbing 52 rebounds to the Thunder's 40, and scoring 23 second-chance points. The Thunder's offense was flat, and their defense wasn't much better. They didn't turn the ball over much, but they just didn't have the same energy they usually do. The Nuggets wanted it more, and that's a tough position to be in, even for a team that has had as much success as the Thunder this season. The Nuggets have outplayed the Thunder for most of the series, focusing on shutting down the Thunder's star player, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Jalen Williams, the Thunder's All-Star, has been struggling to find his scoring touch in this series. He's had some good games, but he's also had some real stinkers. He's been focusing on other aspects of his game, like rebounding and passing, but the Thunder need him to score more if they want to win Game 7. Williams knows he needs to step up, but he's also been hard on himself for his recent performances. The Thunder will have to find a way to get Williams back on track if they want to advance to the Western Conference finals. The Thunder have 48 hours to figure out what went wrong in Game 6. They need to address their early foul trouble and rebounding issues. They also need to make open shots, something they've struggled with in the last few games. The Thunder's home crowd will be a big factor in Game 7, and the team will need to feed off that energy. The Thunder have had a great season, but they need to play with more desperation if they want to win Game 7. They need to play like they did in the regular season, when they won 68 games. The Nuggets' zone defense has been effective, but the Thunder need to find a way to break it down and score more points.