The Nuggets accomplished what they wanted in Oklahoma City, stealing a game on the road and heading back to Denver with their second-round series tied 1-1. And still, they can’t feel great about themselves after their showing in Game 2.
The Nuggets came out flat, the Thunder came out guns blazing, and Denver looked content to throw in the towel and punt on the game. The final result was a 149-106 win for OKC, but that final score doesn’t even tell the full story.
It’s one thing for Denver to lose Game 2; that was always the most likely outcome after they stole Game 1. But to not even compete and allow the Thunder players to get in this good of a rhythm across the board is at least a little concerning.
Thunder set first half playoff scoring record
OKC got up by double digits in the first six minutes of the game and never looked back. They led by a score of 45-21 after the first quarter, and kept pouring it on from there. The Thunder offense was humming to such an extent that they set a new playoff first half scoring record, putting up 87 points in just two quarters.
The previous record was held by the 2003 Dallas Mavericks, who scored 83 points in the first half of a playoff game. The Thunder eclipsed that mark as they opened up an 87-56 lead at the break, all but putting the game away and rendering the second half irrelevant.
Nuggets may regret punting on Game 2
Regardless of the margin, it’s important to remember that this still only counts as one game. There is no aggregate scoring here, so the Nuggets’ 2-point victory in Game 1 counts for just as much as the Thunder’s 43-point trouncing in Game 2.
Still, the shift in confidence and momentum cannot be understated. After Game 1, the Nuggets had shocked OKC and sent a message to the league. But any mental edge they may have had after one game is completely gone.
They came into OKC and ruffled some feathers, shredding their vaunted defense with Nikola Jokic looking like the clear best player on the floor. Despite a major rest disadvantage, the Nuggets walked down a 14-point lead and stole the game in the final seconds.
But they promptly gave all of that momentum right back, and now the Thunder are feeling confident as ever, proving to themselves that they can easily play this Nuggets team off the floor. We’ll see if there are any lingering effects in Game 3, but it’s clearly a missed opportunity for Denver.