Denver humirit ng Game 7 sa OKC

DENVER — Humakot si Nikola Jokic ng 29 points, 14 rebounds at 8 assists para banderahan ang Nuggets sa 119-107 pag­ganti sa Oklahoma City Thunder sa Game 6 at itab­la sa 3-3 ang kanilang Wes­tern Conference semifinals series.

Nagdagdag si Jamal Mur­ray ng 25 points para sa Denver na lalabanan ang Oklahoma City sa Game 7.

Ang mananalo ang sa­sagupa sa Minnesota Tim­berwolves, sinibak ang Gol­den State Warriors, 4-1, sa conference finals.

“The guys in there looked like they were happier to have tomorrow off than they were about going to a Game 7,” ani Nuggets interim coach David Adel­man sa huli nilang pag­tutuos ng Thunder.

Kinumpleto ni Murray ang isang four-point play kasunod ang isang step-back 3-pointer sa pagsisi­mula ng fourth quarter pa­ra sa double digit lead ng Denver.

Nag-ambag si Christian Braun ng career playoff-best 23 points, habang may career playoff-high 15 markers si second-year reserve guard Julian Strawther.

Kumonekta ng dalawang triples si Strawther at isang layup sa inihulog na 10-0 atake ng Nuggets sa third quarter.

Pinamunuan ni Shai Gil­geous-Alexander ang Thunder sa kanyang 32 points, habang may anim na marka lamang si Jalen Williams mula sa masamang 3-of-16 field goal shooting.

“First of all, credit Denver — they threw a punch tonight as has happened in the series, both teams are exchanging blows,” sabi ni OKC coach Mark Daig­neault. “They got theirs in to­night, and both teams have done a great job of stan­ding back up, including us, and we need to do that on Sunday.”