Oklahoma City hosts Denver Wednesday night as the Nuggets aim to extend their lead in the second round of the NBA playoffs. Denver secured a Game 1 win on the road Sunday, defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder 121-119 on a late basket.
Nikola Jokić led the Denver Nuggets attack in the series opener. The center recorded 42 points, 22 rebounds, and six assists. His performance anchored Denver's offense and helped the team overcome home-court advantage held by Oklahoma City. Analysis details Jokić's comfort against Oklahoma City's interior defenders in Game 1. You can review a study of Game 1.
Denver also controlled rebounding in the first game, finishing with a 63-43 advantage on the glass. This included 21 offensive rebounds, which led to 27 second-chance points.
The Oklahoma City Thunder entered the series with the second-best net rating in NBA history. They had over a week of rest after winning their first-round series in four games, while the Nuggets played a seven-game series that concluded just two days before Game 1.
For Oklahoma City, guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander paced the offense in Game 1 with 33 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists. Guard Alex Caruso, listed as a contributor off the Thunder bench in one report, added 20 points, six assists, and five steals in the opener.
Looking ahead to Game 2, injuries include Denver's DaRon Holmes II (OUT) and Oklahoma City's Nikola Topić (OUT).
Tipoff for Game 2 is set for 9:30 PM ET (7:30 PM MDT) at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City. The game will air on TNT and TruTV, stream on Max, and be broadcast on Altitude Sports Radio 92.5 FM. Check the latest NBA odds and forecasts for the game forecast. A sports projection model suggests a lower combined point total than the opening line.
The outcome of Game 2 will influence the series trajectory as it heads back to Denver.
