Stellar defensive effort from Thunder lifts them over Nuggets to tie series 2-2

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 25 points and the Oklahoma City Thunder finally outplayed Denver in crunch time, beating the Nuggets, 92-87, on Sunday to knot their second-round series at two games apiece.

The Thunder trailed 69-63 after three quarters and fell behind by eight when Peyton Watson started the fourth quarter by swishing a hook shot. But Oklahoma City used an 11-0 run fueled by reserves Cason Wallace, who had a pair of 3-pointers, and Aaron Wiggins, who added another, to take control.

Wallace’s second 3-pointer put Oklahoma City ahead for good at 75-73.

The Nuggets had outlasted the youngest team in the NBA with wins in Games 1 and 3, crediting their playoff experience and championship pedigree. And they looked poised to put the top-seeded team in the West on the cusp of elimination when Aaron Gordon’s turnaround jumper made it 73-66.

This time, however, it was the Thunder who came up big down the stretch and the Nuggets who fumbled away the chance to put OKC in a 3-1 hole.

Game 5 is Tuesday night back in Oklahoma City, where the Thunder had a 43-point blowout of the Nuggets in Game 2.

Nikola Jokić led Denver with 27 points and 13 rebounds. Christian Braun and Jamal Murray each had 17 points and Gordon scored 15. Michael Porter Jr. scored just three points after scoring 15 on Friday night.

Wiggins and Wallace each added 11 points and Alex Caruso and Jalen Williams each scored 10. Williams was 2 for 13 from the floor after scoring 32 in Game 3.

The teams played a physical, overtime game on Friday night, not leaving Ball Arena until the early morning hours on Saturday. And the early Mother’s Day start — 1:30 p.m. local time — led to some tired legs and a ton of errant shots.

Both teams went 3 for 22 from deep in the first half, and they slumbered through a combined 25-point first quarter, which tied an NBA playoff record for fewest points in the opening quarter.

Oklahoma City was ahead 42-36 at the half.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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