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Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
How OKC Thunder gave Denver Nuggets hope in Game 6, 'most dangerous thing' in NBA Playoffs
DENVER — Those sounds: the clamoring from a thirsty Denver crowd, the roars of exhilaration from Jamal Murray's motivated lips. Those looks: the smirk that escaped the otherwise stiff Nikola Jokic during his exit to the tunnel, the loss of color and life from Jalen Williams' expression. Those are the signs of what Alex Caruso was fearful of. Giving the Nuggets hope. Advertisement 'You don't wanna give a team fighting for their life any hope or belief,' Caruso warned hours before Game 6, ahead 3-2 in the Western Conference semifinals then. 'Probably the most dangerous thing you can do.' Invoke danger the Thunder did. Ball Arena was sent into a frenzy by an equal dose of hope and belief. Hope that a Game 7 was possible. Belief that it could stomp the Thunder, 119-107, to unlock it. 'Yeah, I said 'give them hope,'' Caruso recalled to The Oklahoman Thursday night. 'It's not up to us. They have (a) championship mindset. They were always going to come out and throw punches and haymakers tonight. Jamal Murray flexing to the crowd — you can see the emotion and energy that they were playing with.' The door of hope was thrust open as soon as the second quarter. Advertisement MUSSATTO: OKC Thunder needs more from Jalen Williams to oust Nuggets from NBA Playoffs in Game 7 DENVER, COLORADO - MAY 15: Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets greets fans after defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder 119-107 in Game Six of the Western Conference Second Round NBA Playoffs at Ball Arena on May 15, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. Inside the period, Isaiah Hartenstein and Jaylin Williams each picked up their third foul. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander picked up his fourth. In all non-Game 2 performances this series — when he played 30 minutes in a blowout Thunder win — SGA has played at least 38 minutes. He played 35 on Thursday. Contact and time were his greatest enemies, a 32-point, six-assist night on 11-of-16 shooting to show for it. His fourth whistle was preventable, a swipe at Jokic after losing the ball. A handful of Jaylin Williams and Hartenstein's fouls stemmed from jumping near Jokic — who finished with an efficient 29 points and 14 boards, attempting 12 free throws — while he made his way to the rim in slow motion. Advertisement SGA and Hartenstein opened the half seemingly avoiding drivers underneath the rim like they were attempting to dodge a laser security system. 'We had some dumb fouls that we could've prevented,' Jaylin Williams told The Oklahoman. 'Nothing really changed. We just gotta be smarter with our contact.' And yet, OKC still found itself in the driver's seat after that: a 12-point lead with two minutes to play in the first half in a game where that kind of deficit felt worth a fortune. That lead was erased in those two minutes. With a pair of Christian Braun 3-pointers. With a steady flow of rim attempts from Denver. Advertisement CARLSON: OKC Thunder falls into cauldron of a Game 7 after failing to eliminate Denver Nuggets Belief seemingly coursed through Murray's bloodstream before Mucinex ever got the chance to. He began Thursday listed as questionable with an illness, something coach David Adelman apparently caught wind of earlier that morning. Murray finished the night with 27 points, seven assists and eight rebounds. He dazzled with marvelous shotmaking, without a jumper worth sneezing at. Perhaps the sideline was contaminated when he nearly crowd surfed at the end of the third quarter; he flexed and grimaced in their air space after a 10-second sequence saw him score a fastbreak layup and draw a pivotal foul to swing the end of the third. He wore the emotions of Denver's Game 6 push. But they all floated to the top with the way the Nuggets closed that third quarter. Advertisement If potential elimination games call for an unsung hero, Nuggets guard Julian Strawther was that. Twice in this series, Strawther played less than five minutes. Once he picked up a DNP. But Thursday, he pumped air into Denver's season. In just over a minute, he scored eight points: two 3s and a funky lob. Arson-worthy for the Denver faithful, migraine-inducing for a Thunder squad aiming to wipe its hands with this round. The Nuggets' lead went from three. To five. To eight. To 10. All in lung-crushing time. 'When halftime ends, you get 24 minutes to play your best, regardless of what just happened,' Daigneault said. 'We had that opportunity. So did they. They outplayed us in the second half.' Advertisement 5 TAKEAWAYS: OKC Thunder fails to close out Denver Nuggets, sending series to Game 7 DENVER, COLORADO - MAY 15: Jamal Murray #27 of the Denver Nuggets reacts as Jalen Williams #8 of the Oklahoma City Thunder looks on during the third quarter in Game Six of the Western Conference Second Round NBA Playoffs at Ball Arena on May 15, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. Despite Oklahoma City's most recent couple closes, and despite Gilgeous-Alexander's gradual control over his performance in the series, the comeback didn't happen. OKC entered its past three fourth quarters with at least a six-point deficit. The Thunder shot just 38% in Thursday's second half, missing all but two of its fourth-quarter 3-point attempts. Jalen Williams, the Thunder's rightful second All-Star, finished 3 of 16 for a series-low six points. It capped off a 10-of-43 stretch in his past three games. He refused to excuse his wrist. He sat hidden behind his Thunder teammates while the final seconds dwindled, his towel wrapped over his head, his stare stuck on his process. Advertisement The Nuggets won and cheered, the Thunder swallowed defeat and filed to the back halls — all while Williams remained glued to the bench. Unsatisfied. Stuck like stone. 'I just hurt us tonight not making shots,' he said postgame. Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder couldn't outplay hope. Now it's all they have. About as much as they can count on. The Thunder can scrape together three Game 7s between this core. Its eventful, historically great, record-shattering season depends on appearing as competent Sunday as it had through those 82 games. On shoving the idea that they're too prepubescent for the moment, the bright lights, down the throats of their detractors. Advertisement That's all they can believe in Sunday. 'Just gotta go for it,' Caruso said. 'There's no time to be timid. There's no time to second guess. You've gotta just throw your best punch and go for the win. That's probably gonna be our message. 'Do the things that we've done all year to be a great team and go for it.' Joel Lorenzi covers the Thunder and NBA for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Joel? He can be reached at jlorenzi@ or on X/Twitter at @joelxlorenzi. Support Joel's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at Advertisement REPORT CARD: Thunder vs Nuggets grades: Julian Strawther, foul trouble spell trouble for OKC in Game 6 Game 7: Thunder vs. Nuggets TIPOFF: 2:30 p.m. Sunday at Paycom Center (ABC) This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OKC Thunder gave Denver Nuggets 'most dangerous thing' in NBA Playoffs
Newsweek
01-06-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Magic Poised to Poach Timberwolves Star Free Agent: Report
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A trio of critical contributors to the Minnesota Timberwolves could hit free agency this summer. 2024 Sixth Man of the Year Naz Reid, who is clearly convinced he deserves to start in this league, has a $15 million player option he seems likely to decline, knowing he can earn more on the open market. Three-time All-Star power forward Julius Randle, who put on a two-way clinic through the first two rounds of the playoffs only to turn into a pumpkin in the Western Conference Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder, has a $30.9 million player option. Jimmy Butler III #10 and Kevon Looney #5 of the Golden State Warriors go for rebound against Nickeil Alexander-Walker #9, Rudy Gobert #27 and Naz Reid #11 of the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game Three of... Jimmy Butler III #10 and Kevon Looney #5 of the Golden State Warriors go for rebound against Nickeil Alexander-Walker #9, Rudy Gobert #27 and Naz Reid #11 of the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game Three of the Western Conference Second Round NBA Playoffs at Chase Center on May 10, 2025 in San Francisco, California. MoreSeventh man shooting guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker, meanwhile, is an unrestricted free agent, and his abilities as an intriguing 3-and-D option could earn him a raise. More Minnesota Timberwolves News: Timberwolves Get Major Update on Futures of Julius Randle, Naz Reid Other franchises could be interested in Alexander-Walker's services, writes Marc Stein of The Stein Line on his Substack. Around-the-league NBA notes couldn't wait until Sunday. The latest free agency rumbles, trade talk and leaguewide chatter ... it runs right now: — Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) May 31, 2025 Stein pinpoints the Orlando Magic, specifically, as a team that could look to bring a seasoned vet of Alexander-Walker's ability aboard. "The reality, though, is that Alexander-Walker is bound to generate the most significant external interest of the three — especially coming off a season in which he earned just $4.3 million," Stein notes. "Next season's full midlevel exception will be worth more than three times what Alexander-Walker made last season at $14.1 million ... with rumbles already in circulation that Orlando is a team to watch as a potential suitor." Alexander-Walker has emerged on the national hoops stage thanks to his key contributions during the Timberwolves' two consecutive Western Conference Finals runs since last season. His first name even came under fire by (a presumably mostly joking) Charles Barkley on TNT. "Is his real name Nickeil?" Barkley joked during a recent broadcast. "Boy, somebody just made up some stuff again... They named him after a coin—they just spelled it wrong." Per longtime NBA insider Brandon "Scoop B" Robinson, Alexander-Walker revealed the origins of his first name. "My mom's name is Nicole and my dad's name is Nicholas," Alexander-Walker said. "My mom originally wanted to name me Khalil; she had a friend who had a baby named Khalil maybe a year or a couple months before I was born, and so, my grandmother just named me Nickeil. And you know, my grandmother's very close in my life." The world certainly knows his name now, even if it's still learning the origins of that name. During the playoffs, the 6-foot-5 swingman averaged 8.3 points on a semi-inefficient .389/.349/.882 slash line, 2.3 assists, and 1.8 rebounds per. He's a solid player on both sides of the ball, and could help bolster the Magic's perimeter depth. "Honestly, I felt a little slighted at first," Alexander-Walker said. "It was a little disrespectful because I take pride in who I am, and my name is part of my identity. Knowing that it was given to me from people who I care about a lot, means a lot." More Minnesota Timberwolves News: Timberwolves' Anthony Edwards Makes Bold Declaration Following Brutal Game 5 Loss NBA Champion Says Timberwolves Should Target This Anthony Edwards Co-Star For more Minnesota Timberwolves, Orlando Magic and general NBA news and rumors, head on over to Newsweek Sports.
Newsweek
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Former NBA All-Star Calls Out Warriors HC Steve Kerr
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. As the Golden State Warriors get ready for a crucial offseason, one of the biggest questions around the team is what the future holds for forward Jonathan Kuminga. Kuminga is scheduled to be a restricted free agent this summer, and there has been a lot of speculation around his status with the team. More NBA news: Lakers' LeBron James Makes Shocking NBA MVP Voting History The Warriors want to bring back Kuminga, but his price tag could force the team's hand. There will be plenty of teams interested in his services, and it could see a bidding war take place. But one former NBA All-Star and Warriors player believes that Golden State head coach Steve Kerr could be to blame if Kuminga does depart. DeMarcus Cousins gave his thoughts on the matter. "I think they lost Kuminga. I think Steve Kerr ruined that relationship this year with the DNPs," Cousins said on Run It Back. "We've seen this happen time and time again when it comes to him and dealing with young talent. "He just doesn't handle young talent well. He doesn't develop. Out of the years he's been there, we've seen one guy develop under Steve Kerr, and they ran him off as well, that was Jordan Poole. When it comes to young talent, I just don't think that he handles it well." "Steve Kerr ruined that relationship with the DNP' just doesn't handle young talent well, he doesn't develop."@boogiecousins says Jonathan Kuminga will probably be on the move this offseason because Steve Kerr doesn't develop young talent, outside of Jordan Poole! Do you... — Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) May 22, 2025 Cousins played under Kerr for a short time, and it seems that he isn't a fan. Kerr has seen impressive success with the Warriors, but a lot of that was more inherited than anything. More NBA news: Lakers Likely Trade Package for Center Reportedly Revealed Kerr didn't develop players such as Steph Curry, Draymond Green, or Klay Thompson. But he did figure out how to manage each of them together and find the recipe to win as a group, which is never easy to do. Head Coach Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors looks on against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the second quarter in Game Five of the Western Conference Second Round NBA Playoffs at Target Center on May... Head Coach Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors looks on against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the second quarter in Game Five of the Western Conference Second Round NBA Playoffs at Target Center on May 14, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. More Photo byEven if Kerr didn't develop the players, he still gets a lot of credit for winning four titles in Golden State. Kerr is one of the better coaches in the NBA, and he has proven that for over a decade at this point. Whether Kuminga returns or not likely has nothing to do with Kerr. Rather, it will depend on how much money the Warriors' front office is willing to spend on him this offseason. More NBA news: Heat Star Bam Adebayo Loses Out on All-Defensive Team For First Time in Years Knicks Collapse vs Pacers Has Stephen A Smith 'Sick to His Stomach' Thunder Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Wins First Ever MVP Award, Beats Out Nikola Jokic For more Golden State Warriors and general NBA news, head over to Newsweek Sports.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
OKC Thunder needs more from Jalen Williams to oust Nuggets from NBA Playoffs in Game 7
DENVER — Jalen Williams, a towel draped atop his head, sat alone on the Thunder's bench as his teammates trudged across the court. Williams stared up at the scoreboard: Nuggets 119, Thunder 107. Who knows how long Williams might've sat there had Alex Caruso not helped him up. Upon standing, Williams pulled the towel tighter. Advertisement For Williams, the towel is so often a victory prop. Thursday, it veiled defeat. Williams scored six points in the Thunder's Game 6 loss. He shot 3-of-16 from the floor. He missed all four of his 3-point attempts. 'I think I had a good process with what I was doing,' Williams said. 'I just hurt us tonight (by) not making shots.' Whether Williams could emerge as a true No. 2 option was a lingering question heading into these playoffs. The answer has depended on the game. And that's the problem. For the Thunder to win Game 7 on Sunday, for it to go all the way, it needs more consistent play out of its second All-Star. Williams' bad games — bad shooting games, at least — have outnumbered his good ones in this West semifinal series. Advertisement CARLSON: OKC Thunder falls into cauldron of a Game 7 after failing to eliminate Denver Nuggets DENVER, COLORADO - MAY 15: Jalen Williams #8 of the Oklahoma City Thunder drives to the basket against Peyton Watson #8 of the Denver Nuggets during the fourth quarter in Game Six of the Western Conference Second Round NBA Playoffs at Ball Arena on May 15, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. He was tremendous in the Thunder's Game 3 overtime loss, scoring 32 points on 52% shooting. And he was good in the Thunder's Game 2 rout. In the other four games, however, he has shot 15-of-63 (24%). For the series, he's 7-of-33 (21%) from 3-point range. He's 9-of-22 (41%) in the restricted area. At times, he's looked like a just-turned 24-year-old in his third NBA season and fourth-ever playoff series. Like a guy who's dealing with a nagging wrist injury that may or not be affecting his play. This is how it's supposed to go, by the way. Failure is often a prerequisite to playoff success. No young star is immune to playoff growing pains. Advertisement That's the conundrum with J-Dub and the Thunder. In the regular season, he was so good, this team was so good, that we started to move the goalposts on them. They've hit all the historical benchmarks of being a championship team — and they might very well snatch the Larry 'O in a few weeks time. But history also tells us they're too young, too inexperienced to win a championship. No matter its fate, the Thunder will be an outlier one way or another. Williams has become a symbol of that seesaw. It's an oversimplification to say the Thunder will go as far as he goes … but the Thunder might go as far as he goes. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander can't do it all, and Chet Holmgren — who might be the Thunder's second-best player — isn't ready to be its second-best option offensively. Gilgeous-Alexander scored 32 points Thursday on 69% shooting. He was only slowed by foul trouble. Williams, on this night as much as any, had an opportunity to not just shine alongside SGA, but in the absence of him. It didn't happen. Advertisement 'It's life, it's basketball,' Gilgeous-Alexander said. 'Tonight wasn't his night, clearly. The best part about it all is he has an opportunity to change all that. If he has a big game next game, nobody remembers, nobody cares.' 5 TAKEAWAYS: OKC Thunder fails to close out Denver Nuggets, sending series to Game 7 May 15, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) is fouled by Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8) in the second quarter during game six of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images While the lasting image from Game 6 might be a dejected J-Dub, the part about Caruso helping him up is nothing new, Williams said. 'AC always gets me off the bench, win or loss,' Williams said. '... He's just a good vet. He's somebody there to pick you up when you're down. Obviously I didn't play the way I wanted to play, so I was trying to process the game and my emotions.' Advertisement Caruso didn't give Williams time to stew. 'I didn't know, honestly, at the time that the numbers (and) shooting splits were that bad for him during the game,' Caruso told The Oklahoman. 'I thought he made some pretty good plays for us throughout the game, even without the shots going in.' To that point, Williams had a game-high 10 assists. His seven rebounds were second on the team. His defense on Aaron Gordon — who might be hobbled by a hamstring injury — has been solid all series. Williams' shot has fluctuated, 'but let's talk about what is consistent,' Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said after the game. 'His defense, his floor game. He had a bunch of assists tonight. Played really hard and competitive as he always does. That's the floor of his game.' Advertisement Both Daigneault and Williams liked the quality of Williams' shots. They just didn't drop. A blown dunk was the icing on the clanks. 'You just kind of laugh that one off at that point,' Daigneault said. Laugh, or stare blankly from the bench. 'I'm gonna stand there with my hand out waiting for him until he's ready to go, because that's what we do,' Caruso said. 'We're teammates, and we're gonna have to go win one on Sunday.' REPORT CARD: Thunder vs Nuggets grades: Julian Strawther, foul trouble spell trouble for OKC in Game 6 Joe Mussatto is a sports columnist for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Joe? Email him at jmussatto@ . Support Joe's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at . Game 7: Thunder vs. Nuggets TIPOFF: 2:30 p.m. Sunday at Paycom Center (ABC) This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Jalen Williams needs big Game 7 for Thunder vs Nuggets in NBA Playoffs
Newsweek
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Nikola Jokic Reveals Blunt Offseason Plans After Tough Game 7 Loss
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Two seasons after winning their first NBA championship, the Denver Nuggets failed to reach the conference finals for the second consecutive time. The Nuggets were eliminated in Game 7 against the Oklahoma City Thunder, and in a humiliating fashion, they were sent home by the final score of 125-93. The Nuggets came up short in the final game after a grueling 13-game playoff run. Now, the page has turned to the offseason, and Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic revealed his plans for the offseason after the tough Game 7 loss. Nikola Jokic #15 and the Denver Nuggets starters look on from the bench during the fourth quarter of a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game Seven of the Western Conference Second Round NBA... Nikola Jokic #15 and the Denver Nuggets starters look on from the bench during the fourth quarter of a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game Seven of the Western Conference Second Round NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center on May 18, 2025 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. More Photo byNikola Jokic on his plans for the offseason: "We'll see. But for now, next couple of days is gonna be a lot of beer probably." — Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) May 18, 2025 "We'll see. But for now, next couple of days is gonna be a lot of beer probably." Jokic is coming off arguably his best season of his career at the ripe age of 30. This story will be updated....
