OKLAHOMA CITY — Squaring off against Julian Strawther, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander salivated at the mouth. He only needed a couple of dribbles to decide he wanted to pull up from deep. After it looked like another outside miss, the ball rolled in after it hit the front of the rim.

That was enough for both teams to wave the white flag. The Oklahoma City Thunder dominated the Denver Nuggets in a 125-93 Game 7 win. The 4-3 Round 2 series win has graduated them to the Western Conference Finals against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

“I thought our pressure today was a difference- maker in the game.

We accessed that at different times in the series but today we did it most consistently for the 48 minutes. We didn’t even play a perfect game on offense. But it was such a catalyst for us. The pressure, deflections and turnovers,” Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said. “Even when they got shots, I thought the pressure and the shots really disrupted the rhythm of those shots. The guys did a great job of sifting through all the noise of a Game 7 and just focusing on what we needed to do to win.”

What turned into a second-half party looked like a first-half funeral. The Thunder were down early. The moment seemed too big for the young roster. Rattled early on, the Nuggets sped by for an early 11-point lead. The Thunder salvaged the end of the frame but exited the first quarter in a 26-21 deficit.

Then everything clicked for the Thunder. An 18-5 run in the final three moments helped them create distance on the scoreboard. The league’s best defense sold out on Nikola Jokic to tally limited touches. It worked as every other Denver possession ended in an OKC steal or bad shot attempt.

Jalen Williams had one of his best halves with 17 efficient points. The 24-year-old was a threat in transition. Suddenly, the Thunder had a 60-46 halftime lead. Everything went their way with 39 points in the second quarter while the Nuggets only had 20.

Going with Alex Caruso over Isaiah Hartenstein, the start of the second half saw the Thunder escalate the score. It didn’t take long to see their lead balloon by over 20 points as they scored the first nine points. Gilgeous-Alexander’s step back 3-pointer made it a 69-46 lead less than two minutes in.

That sucked all the intrigue out of the Game 7. Awful for 29 other fanbases, awesome for the Thunder. A weekend built around OKC quickly turned forgettable as the Thunder destroyed the Nuggets and led by 20-plus points for the entire second half.

The Thunder scored 37 points in the third quarter. They exited the third frame with a 97-72 lead. It was all over but the crying for the Nuggets. They had to experience another quarter of putrid basketball to sit on the bench and think about what transpired.

It took less than five minutes into the fourth quarter for both teams to clear their bench. The Thunder scored 28 points in the final frame to pad their lead. They led by as many as an eye-popping 43 points. To call it a blowout is an understatement.

The Thunder shot 49% from the field and went 12-of-39 (30.8%) from 3. They shot 19-of-24 on free throws. They had 28 assists on 47 baskets. Four Thunder players scored double-digit points.

Gilgeous-Alexander led the way with an efficient 35 points. Williams had a bounce-back performance with 24 points. Chet Holmgren had a 13-point double-double. Caruso scored 11 points and Hartenstein had 10 points.

Meanwhile, the Nuggets shot 39% from the field and went 10-of-45 (22.2%) from 3. They shot 17-of-22 on free throws. They had 20 assists on 33 baskets. Three Nuggets players scored double-digit points.

Jokic finished with 20 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Christian Braun stepped up with 19 points and four rebounds. Jamal Murray only had 13 points on 6-of-16 shooting.

Talk about a franchise- altering win. The Thunder had all the pressure in the world. They were younger, more talented, deeper and healthier. They also had homecourt advantage. All the tangibles pointed to OKC being the favorite to beat the Nuggets in Game 7.

Not only did they do that, but they devoured the Nuggets. Denver had no chance once OKC shook off early nerves. A historic defense led the way while Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams were their two best scorers. That was the formula they relied upon for their 68-win regular season and did so once again when cornered in an elimination game.

“We were who we are. That’s the biggest thing. That’s enough with this team. If we just bet on who we are individually and collectively, we’re a really hard team to beat,” Daigneault said. “I just thought we stayed in character. We got off to a rough start. We didn’t panic. We just played the 48 and we tapped into who we are. That’s the thing I’m most satisfied with.”

Now only four teams remain. The Thunder will face a Timberwolves squad similarly built to them. They have a heliocentric superstar carried by one of the best defenses and have rich depth to go to. But before the Western Conference Finals kick off in two days, let’s enjoy the biggest win of the SGA era for the rest of the weekend.

“I want to acknowledge Denver. They displayed the mettle of a champion. Obviously, they won championships. The core guys. They displayed that in the series. The run to this point and the run they gave us was impressive. They’re a bunch of zombies. We have the ultimate respect for their team,” Daigneault said. “We’re better now than we were at the beginning of the series because of them. They pushed us to the limit. We just have such high respect for all of their guys in the locker room and in their staff and organization.”

The Thunder will now play the Minnesota Timberwolves in Oklahoma City’s fifth Western Conference finals appearance.

With home-court advantage, the Thunder begins its conference finals run at Paycom Center Tuesday, May 20, at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN, followed by Game 2 Thursday, May 22, at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN.

The series will then shift to Minnesota for Games 3 and 4. Game 3 takes place Saturday, May 24, at 7:30 p.m. and Game 4 is Monday, May 26 at 7:30 p.m. If necessary, Games 5, 6 and 7 will be played at alternating sites beginning at Paycom Center Wednesday, May 28, at 7:30 p.m., followed by Game 6 in Minnesota Friday, May 30, at 7:30 p.m., and concluding with Game 7 in Oklahoma City Sunday, June 1 at 7 p.m.

A limited number of tickets for Thunder home games are available and go on sale at www. okcthunder.com/buytickets starting Monday, May 19 at 10 a.m. Fans can also purchase guaranteed, authentic tickets from season ticket members and other fans through www.okcthunder.com/buytickets, as available. Only tickets sold through the Thunder website via Ticketmaster are guaranteed to be authentic and ensure entry into Paycom Center for the game.

T-SHIRTS AND HALF OFF CONCESSIONS: Doors open Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. and food and beverages are 50% off for the first hour after doors open - excluding the Michelob Ultra Club, Jack Daniels, and suites. On all other home game days, doors open two hours before tipoff. The playoff T-shirt tradition will also continue through the conference finals with a new T-shirt at each seat in Paycom Center every home game. Game attendees should plan to arrive early to grab their food, get to their seats and suit up in their playoff T-shirt before the players hit the floor.

THUNDER UP IN THE PARK: For Tuesday’s game, Thunder UP in the Park begins at 4 p.m. at Scissortail Park plaza. Fans of all ages can enjoy a host of free activities including face painting, youth zones, music, and performances from Thunder entertainers. Fans age 18 and older can enter the Thunder Ticket Challenge presented by Simple Modern for a chance to win game day tickets. Thunder UP in the Park begins 3.5 hours before tipoff for all other home games.

PLAYOFFS RAFFLE: The Thunder and OG&E have teamed up again to offer fans a chance to win a playoffs package for Game 2 of the Western Conference finals. The winner of the Thunder Playoffs Raffle, energized by OG&E, will score four tickets in a Terrace Suite, food, and exclusive early doors access to watch Thunder pregame warmups. Raffle tickets start at $10 with proceeds benefiting the Thunder Community Foundation. OG&E will match raffle proceeds for the Foundation up to $15,000. The raffle closes Wednesday, May 21, at 12 p.m. To purchase raffle tickets, visit www.okcthunder. com/playoffsraffle.

THUNDER HALL AND WATCH ZONES: Thunder Hall, also known as Fassler Hall, in OKC and Tulsa will continue to serve as Thunder Watch Party destinations. In addition, more locations in both OKC and Tulsa have been added to Thunder Watch Zones presented by Michelob ULTRA. For a complete list, visit www.okcthunder. com/watchzones.

TUNE IN: Western Conference finals games will air exclusively on NBA national partners ESPN or ABC. Following each game, the Thunder will offer a postgame show with interviews with players, hosted by Paris Lawson, Nick Gallo, and Royce Young. It will be available on the Thunder App, Thunder Connected TV app, the FanDuel Sports Network App, and on KSBI-52 in Oklahoma City. All Thunder playoff games will be carried live on the Thunder Radio Network, led by WWLS 98.1 The Sports Animal in Oklahoma City. All Thunder home playoff games will be available in Spanish on WKY 930 AM radio in Oklahoma City.

PLAYOFF GEAR: Western Conference finals gear is available now at www.okcthunder.com/ shop and at the Thunder Shop in Paycom Center. The Thunder Shop is open during home playoff games and during regular store hours, Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. In addition, the Thunder merchandise trailer will be open during Thunder UP in the Park.

STAY IN THE KNOW: To get updates for on-sale announcements, ticket giveaways, and more, fans can text PLAYOFFS to 405.877.5558, visit www. okcthunder.com/playoffscentral, or follow Thunder social media channels.

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