They were supposed to fold. The league’s youngest team, fresh off a soul-draining overtime loss less than 36 hours earlier, went into the lion’s den in Game 4 against the Denver Nuggets—a veteran-laden group armed with playoff poise and a generational superstar. But it was the Oklahoma City Thunder, not the 2023 champs, who closed the door on Sunday.
In a bruising 92-87 road win, Oklahoma City evened the series at two games apiece and reclaimed both momentum and belief heading back to a raucous Paycom Center for Game 5 on Tuesday night.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder’s All-NBA engine, didn’t put up a jaw-dropping stat line—but he made his presence felt when it mattered most. Nine of his 25 points came in the fourth quarter, including a crucial drive with under two minutes left that helped seal the game.
“We fought. We stayed the course,” Gilgeous-Alexander said after the game. “…and then we closed the game.”
That quote—matter-of-fact and laced with maturity—captures everything about this young Thunder team. They’re not wide-eyed anymore. They’re battle-tested, emboldened, and gaining confidence with each playoff possession.
This was the kind of game that reveals character. Neither team shot well—both finished with identical 36% marks from the field, and combined to go a dismal 21-for-86 from three. The first quarter was borderline unwatchable, ending 17-8 in Oklahoma City’s favor as both squads missed open looks and labored to find rhythm.
Denver, coming off a gut-check overtime win in Game 3, looked gassed early. But so did Oklahoma City. The Sunday afternoon Mother’s Day tip time—coming just over a day after their Friday night marathon—gave both teams tired legs and little time for tactical tweaks.
“I don’t want to say [the NBA erred],” said Nuggets interim coach David Adelman, “but both teams were very tired coming off an unbelievably physical overtime battle… it was about who’s going to make that final run.”
It was Oklahoma City.
Trailing 73-66 early in the fourth after a turnaround jumper from Aaron Gordon, the Thunder’s bench unit ignited a spark. Cason Wallace hit back-to-back threes. Aaron Wiggins added another. An 11-0 run later, and OKC had flipped the deficit into a lead it never gave back.
“I really thought the difference in the game was their bench kind of lit a fuse for them,” Adelman admitted. “They made 3s… pretty incredible in a game where the two teams shoot 21 of 86 from 3.”
Wallace’s second triple gave the Thunder a 75-73 advantage—one they defended with all the desperation and composure of a team well beyond its years.
Head coach Mark Daigneault praised the effort and the resilience of his squad, particularly considering the turnaround.
“Quick turnaround with an early game today, we made an intentional effort to use our depth today and get everybody going,” Daigneault said. “Every time you take punches and you get back up, you get stronger. That’s what we’re preaching to our team.”
Denver had their chances. Nikola Jokic finished with 27 points and 13 rebounds, but his three assists marked a playoff low. His uncharacteristic ball-handling issues—23 turnovers in four games, compared to 22 assists—have stymied the Nuggets’ fluidity. Jamal Murray struggled, and the bench outside of Christian Braun (17 points) offered little support.
Jokic, to his credit, refused to blame fatigue.
“I never think about fatigue,” he said. “We missed shots. That’s it.”
But the numbers told a different story. Denver shot 31% from the floor, missed 34 threes, and committed a critical five-second inbounds violation in the game’s closing minutes. Oklahoma City, meanwhile, finished with just nine turnovers, won the rebounding battle, and made every key play in crunch time—something Denver usually owns.
Outside of Gilgeous-Alexander, it was a tough offensive night for the Thunder starters. Jalen Williams shot 2-for-13. Chet Holmgren, solid on defense, mustered just eight points. But OKC’s collective energy and commitment never wavered. They got to the line (25 free-throw attempts), fought through contact, and took Denver’s best punches without folding.
A key stat from NBA analyst Justin Russo summed up the historical weight of the win:
“That’s a monstrous Game 4 win for Oklahoma City. Saved their season. They weren’t coming back from down 3-1, I don’t think. Won a game shooting 36% while giving up 36 FTA. Teams were 0-29 in the postseason over the last 50 years when that happened.”
The Thunder made history. And they’re not done yet.
This team wasn’t supposed to have the scars or seasoning to hang with former champs. But they’ve now outplayed them in two of the four games and matched their intensity in the other two. They’ve done it with depth, resolve, and the continued rise of a superstar in Gilgeous-Alexander.
Game 5 will be a pivotal swing point. The Thunder have home-court advantage back. They have momentum. And, perhaps most importantly, they now have belief—not just in the locker room, but from the outside looking in.
The NBA’s youngest team just grew up in real time. The series—and perhaps a new era—has officially begun.
Tipoff for Game 5 is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. CT on Tuesday, May 13, at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City.
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