OKC Thunder Trails Nuggets 2-1 After Overtime Loss in Western Semifinals

The Oklahoma City Thunder, despite a league-best 68-14 regular season, find themselves trailing 2-1 in their second-round playoff series against the Denver Nuggets after a 113-104 overtime loss in Game 3 marked by late-game collapses. Key issues include head coach Mark Daigneault’s questionable late-game tactical decisions and the team's inability to manufacture advantages in the slow-paced, possession-heavy final minutes, where Denver executed slightly better. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder’s leading scorer and MVP favorite, struggled with efficiency and failed to replicate his regular-season dominance, contributing to the offense’s stagnation and over-reliance on hero-ball. Daigneault acknowledged the team’s poor execution and fundamental errors during crunch time but remains composed, emphasizing learning, trust, rhythm, and the ongoing process of becoming a great team. Despite Nikola Jokic’s uncharacteristically poor shooting performance, the Thunder could not maintain leads late in games, with young and inexperienced teammates unable to consistently create scoring opportunities. The Thunder face a must-win Game 4, with Daigneault confident in his squad’s ability to grow from these challenges and emphasizing the need to counter Denver’s key players like Aaron Gordon and Jamal Murray.