After another week’s wait, the Oklahoma City Thunder finally learned their Round 2 opponent. The Denver Nuggets advanced in the 2025 NBA playoffs after a 120-101 Game 7 win over the LA Clippers.
The Thunder took care of business against the Memphis Grizzlies with a Round 1 sweep. From a 51-point win to a two-point win, each game slowly got more competitive as the first seed escaped with a Game 4 win last Saturday and has been off since then.
Meanwhile, the Nuggets survived a grueling back-and-forth first-round series against the Clippers. It was a heavyweight bout that was one of the more entertaining Round 1 battles. Nikola Jokic received help from his teammates throughout the series to get past Kawhi Leonard and James Harden.
In their season series, the Thunder and Nuggets split their four games at two apiece. Let’s look back at all four contests as they prepare to battle it out in the 2025 NBA playoffs:
Oct. 24, 2024: Thunder 102, Nuggets 87
This was quite the statement to make in your season opener. The Thunder destroyed the Nuggets back in October as a preview of the type of season they’d enjoy. Gilgeous-Alexander tallied 28 points and Holmgren looked like he leaped with 25 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks.
Meanwhile, the Nuggets couldn’t score. They shot 36% from the field and didn’t even crack 90 points in this blowout. Jokic tallied a 16-point triple-double, but the rest of Denver did very little. The bench was especially unproductive.
It’s difficult to project anything considering how long ago this was. Interesting to note that the Thunder were without Isaiah Hartenstein. He missed the first month with a fractured hand. Perhaps this shows that OKC can beat Denver with its small-ball lineup, too.
A full recap can be read here.
Nov. 6, 2024: Nuggets 124, Thunder 122
Starting the season 7-0, the Nuggets handed the Thunder their first regular-season loss. Gilgeous-Alexander had a chance to hit another Denver game-winner in the final seconds but had his drive attempt blocked by Peyton Watson.
Gilgeous-Alexander finished with an efficient 28 points while Williams stepped up with a near 29-point triple-double. Meanwhile, Denver’s role players hit their outside shots. They went 42% from deep. Four players scored 20-plus points for them in Jokic, Michael Porter Jr., Christian Braun and Russell Westbrook.
If the Nuggets upset the Thunder, this is how they need to do it. The starting lineup and Westbrook must be stellar and Denver has to be red-hot from deep and force OKC to pay for leaving the corners open. They need to dictate the pace and make this into a 2K-esque series.
A full recap can be read here.
Mar. 9, 2025: Thunder 127, Nuggets 103
This was the first of two straight games between the Thunder and Nuggets. A lot of hype was built in this mini-baseball series to determine the MVP race. Funny how that aged as Gilgeous-Alexander ran away with the award in the final weeks.
The Thunder avalanched the Nuggets with a 41-point fourth quarter. Gilgeous-Alexander showed off in front of a national audience with 40 points. Williams helped out with a near 26-point triple-double. This was a close game until the Nuggets let go of the rope. Jokic had an ineffective 24 points.
This is the Thunder’s formula to beat the Nuggets in their playoff series. Ugly the games up until they make their signature second-half run to run away on the scoreboard. If Jokic doesn’t put up a Superman statline, the rest of Denver can easily be shut off.
A full recap can be read here.
Mar. 10, 2025: Nuggets 140, Thunder 127
The second half of this OKC-Denver back-to-back received less pizzazz. It was shown on NBATV. Not the prestigious ABC broadcast. Gilgeous-Alexander had 25 points and Lu Dort exploded for 26 points, but the defense was the problem.
This time, the Nuggets had their turn to have a strong second half. Once Williams exited the game for the Thunder, the interior defense disappeared. Denver shot a ridiculous 56% from 3 as it buried OKC on the scoreboard with 140 points in regulation against the NBA’s best defense. Six Denver players scored double-digit points as Aaron Gordon was out with injury. Jamal Murray scored 34 points.
Outside shot variance can be the ultimate equalizer. The Thunder only shot 31.3% from 3 on 41.5 attempts against the Grizzlies, but were talented enough to overcome that. They likely won’t receive the same luxury against the Nuggets, who have the outside shooter to torch the nets.
A full recap can be read here.
This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Look back at 4 matchups between Thunder, Nuggets before NBA playoffs
After another week’s wait, the Oklahoma City Thunder finally learned their Round 2 opponent. The Denver Nuggets advanced in the 2025 NBA playoffs after a 120-101 Game 7 win over the LA Clippers.
The Thunder took care of business against the Memphis Grizzlies with a Round 1 sweep. From a 51-point win to a two-point win, each game slowly got more competitive as the first seed escaped with a Game 4 win last Saturday and has been off since then.
Meanwhile, the Nuggets survived a grueling back-and-forth first-round series against the Clippers. It was a heavyweight bout that was one of the more entertaining Round 1 battles. Nikola Jokic received help from his teammates throughout the series to get past Kawhi Leonard and James Harden.
In their season series, the Thunder and Nuggets split their four games at two apiece. Let’s look back at all four contests as they prepare to battle it out in the 2025 NBA playoffs:
Oct. 24, 2024: Thunder 102, Nuggets 87
This was quite the statement to make in your season opener. The Thunder destroyed the Nuggets back in October as a preview of the type of season they’d enjoy. Gilgeous-Alexander tallied 28 points and Holmgren looked like he leaped with 25 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks.
Meanwhile, the Nuggets couldn’t score. They shot 36% from the field and didn’t even crack 90 points in this blowout. Jokic tallied a 16-point triple-double, but the rest of Denver did very little. The bench was especially unproductive.
It’s difficult to project anything considering how long ago this was. Interesting to note that the Thunder were without Isaiah Hartenstein. He missed the first month with a fractured hand. Perhaps this shows that OKC can beat Denver with its small-ball lineup, too.
A full recap can be read here.
Nov. 6, 2024: Nuggets 124, Thunder 122
Starting the season 7-0, the Nuggets handed the Thunder their first regular-season loss. Gilgeous-Alexander had a chance to hit another Denver game-winner in the final seconds but had his drive attempt blocked by Peyton Watson.
Gilgeous-Alexander finished with an efficient 28 points while Williams stepped up with a near 29-point triple-double. Meanwhile, Denver’s role players hit their outside shots. They went 42% from deep. Four players scored 20-plus points for them in Jokic, Michael Porter Jr., Christian Braun and Russell Westbrook.
If the Nuggets upset the Thunder, this is how they need to do it. The starting lineup and Westbrook must be stellar and Denver has to be red-hot from deep and force OKC to pay for leaving the corners open. They need to dictate the pace and make this into a 2K-esque series.
A full recap can be read here.
Mar. 9, 2025: Thunder 127, Nuggets 103
This was the first of two straight games between the Thunder and Nuggets. A lot of hype was built in this mini-baseball series to determine the MVP race. Funny how that aged as Gilgeous-Alexander ran away with the award in the final weeks.
The Thunder avalanched the Nuggets with a 41-point fourth quarter. Gilgeous-Alexander showed off in front of a national audience with 40 points. Williams helped out with a near 26-point triple-double. This was a close game until the Nuggets let go of the rope. Jokic had an ineffective 24 points.
This is the Thunder’s formula to beat the Nuggets in their playoff series. Ugly the games up until they make their signature second-half run to run away on the scoreboard. If Jokic doesn’t put up a Superman statline, the rest of Denver can easily be shut off.
A full recap can be read here.
Mar. 10, 2025: Nuggets 140, Thunder 127
The second half of this OKC-Denver back-to-back received less pizzazz. It was shown on NBATV. Not the prestigious ABC broadcast. Gilgeous-Alexander had 25 points and Lu Dort exploded for 26 points, but the defense was the problem.
This time, the Nuggets had their turn to have a strong second half. Once Williams exited the game for the Thunder, the interior defense disappeared. Denver shot a ridiculous 56% from 3 as it buried OKC on the scoreboard with 140 points in regulation against the NBA’s best defense. Six Denver players scored double-digit points as Aaron Gordon was out with injury. Jamal Murray scored 34 points.
Outside shot variance can be the ultimate equalizer. The Thunder only shot 31.3% from 3 on 41.5 attempts against the Grizzlies, but were talented enough to overcome that. They likely won’t receive the same luxury against the Nuggets, who have the outside shooter to torch the nets.
A full recap can be read here.
This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Look back at 4 matchups between Thunder, Nuggets before NBA playoffs
