Nuggets and Thunder Set for Winner-Take-All Showdown Sunday in Game 7

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, right, drives to the basket as Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun defends in the second half of Game 6 in the Western Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs in Denver on May 15, 2025. David Zalubowski/AP Photo

DENVER—Oklahoma City ran away with the Western Conference’s top seed, winning an NBA-best 68 games, including a record 54 by double digits.

The Denver Nuggets didn’t have the Thunder’s youthful legs, deep bench, long rotation or health. They didn’t come close to OKC’s enviable conference record, home mark or road success. Heck, they didn’t even have a similar continuity after Denver’s NBA title-winning head coach and their general manager were fired on the eve of the playoffs.