Preview & Bold Prediction Of Nuggets vs Thunder Game 7

Game 7 is the best words in all sports. The thrill of having both teams playing a single elimination game with the potential to advance to a Conference Final is what basketball fans dream about. When the Denver Nuggets take the floor to face the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday, a lot will be at stake for both teams. After dominating the regular season, the Thunder will be looking to break through in the playoffs as a young squad, while the Nuggets will be looking for an upset to get closer to their 2nd title in three years. In this article, we will be previewing and predicting who will win the pivotal matchup.

1. Jalen Williams must elevate scoring- Jaylen Williams was a deserved All-Star after tallying 21.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.1 assists during the regular season. However, Williams has received widespread criticism on social media for his inconsistent play and offensive contributions. In Game 6, Williams scored 6 points, 3 of 16 from the field and 0 of 4 from three-pointers. Jalen contributed in other ways by tallying 10 assists, seven rebounds, and three steals, but when a team loses, the points tally of your All-Star usually gets dissected fairly or unfairly. Williams has scored only 34 points in his past three games, which is an average of 11 points per game. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is likely to carry the team in Game 7, but he will need Williams’ scoring to defeat the Nuggets, and he is due for a big game.

2. MVPs head-to-head clash- in an interesting move by the NBA, they have not handed out the Most Valuable Player award during the semifinal round of the playoffs. Despite it being a regular-season award, the conspiracy theory is that the NBA did not want to hand out the trophy during a series between the top two candidates for the award. Nikola Jokic and SGA have validated their status as the best two players with their performances in this series. However, Game 7 is an opportunity for players of their caliber to cement their legacies. In Game 6, Jokic delivered a 29-point, 14-rebound, 8-assist performance to extend the series to the distance. SGA scoring has dipped slightly from 32.7 in the regular season to 28.4 points during the playoffs, while failing to score 40 points in the postseason. By comparison, the former Kentucky Wildcat exceeded 40 points 13 times in the regular season. Both players will be looking to deliver on the big stage and do expect fireworks on Sunday afternoon.

3. Nuggets Health Concern- Denver won Game 6, but with just under two minutes left in the fourth quarter, Aaron Gordon scrambled for a loose ball and appeared to pull up with a hamstring injury. The hope for Nuggets fans was that Gordon could feel better after getting 2 days’ rest between Game 6 and 7. However, on Friday, the team listed Gordon on their injury report as doubtful for the game. Gordon is an integral player for the Nuggets based on his ability to switch on defense, passing, rebounding, and improved scoring. Also, Gordon has been clutch for his team in this playoff run with two game-winning baskets. It is difficult to see Denver pulling out a victory without the former Arizona Wildcat.

4. Prediction- I think this series has lived up to the hype because both teams have traded blows in a back-and-forth series. The only lopsided game was the 43-point blowout in Game 2 by the Thunder. The Nuggets should have hope because the road team is 10-5 in the past 4 years in Game 7 matchups. However, historically, Game 7 favors the home team with a 74%-win rate in those matchups. The Thunder won 68 games this season to host Game 7 on their home floor in one of the most raucous atmospheres in sports at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City. I think SGA and Williams will combine for a strong performance, and the Nuggets will not have enough in the fourth quarter without Aaron Gordon.
Thunder 108-Nuggets 100