After the Thunder had two fourth-quarter collapses in Games 1 and 3, they rebounded with a 4th quarter comeback in Game 4. The Thunder did what they needed to do by tying the series up 2-2 heading back to Oklahoma. This is now a best-of-three game series, and the first team to win two games will advance to the Western Conference Finals.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander improved in the fourth quarter, scoring nine points compared to three points in Game 3, but still needs to improve moving forward. However, the Thunder don’t win this game without the three-point shooting from Alex Caruso, Cason Wallace, and Aaron Wiggins in the second half. Now the Thunder head into a must-win, pivotal Game 5 in Oklahoma.
This is the same spot the Thunder found themselves in a year ago against the Dallas Mavericks. In that series, the Thunder lost a pivotal Game 5 and then lost Game 6 to get eliminated. This year, the Thunder were a dominant regular season team, winning 68 games, which earned them the right to be called title favorites heading into the postseason. However, some people were questioning whether they could win it with their inexperience in the playoffs. Let’s dive into why Game 5 will prove who the Thunder are: are they just a great regular season team, or are they ready to take the next step?
Game 5 Will Prove Who The Thunder Are This Year
What a Game 5 Loss Would Mean for The Thunder
The Thunder have once again reclaimed homecourt advantage like they did a year ago. Last year, the Thunder were even more inexperienced, and they couldn’t win a pivotal Game 5 against the Mavericks. Even though the Thunder won 57 games and claimed the number one seed, people questioned their legitimacy as contenders. Last year, everyone was right; they were too young. This year, they won 68 games and claimed the number one seed, and even though they were the title favorites, people still questioned their legitimacy with a lack of experience. If they lose Game 5, it will be because they are too young and they just weren’t ready for the moment.
However, even if they lose Game 5, the series isn’t over, but they will be heading on the road in a possible closeout game against a more experienced team than theirs. This is a spot the Thunder do not want to be in, as teams that go up 3-2 win 83.9% of the time. A loss in Game 5 will most likely mean another disappointing playoff exit for the second consecutive year. If this happens, there could be some major moves happening in Oklahoma as they have the assets to do it to help this team get over the hump.
What a Game 5 Win Would Mean for The Thunder
The difference between this series and last year’s against the Mavericks is that the Thunder have been in control of all four games. This should give Thunder fans more optimism heading into Game 5 as opposed to last year. If the Thunder win Game 5 and take a 3-2 series lead, just like we said above, the series isn’t over, but now they are on the right side of history. Denver has won a championship before, and they have that pedigree, and to win a pivotal game against that team will do a lot for this young Thunder team. They would be the team we thought they were from the regular season, a championship-worthy team.
Not only would a win in Game 5 give OKC confidence and a good chance at advancing to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2016. It will help them move forward in other series as well and be better prepared for a potential NBA Finals series. This is exactly why the Thunder wanted to play a team like the Denver Nuggets, because they knew it would bring the best out of them. In addition, beating a team that won a championship can be just the spark a young team needs to go on a Finals run.
Alex Caruso: “I was excited to play Denver because I knew they were gonna bring greatness out of us. That’s no disrespect to Memphis, but we were gonna win that series. Especially once Ja went out just based off of talent level. Denver is a smart and experienced team.” pic.twitter.com/nNvTZzVgfD
— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) May 10, 2025
What The Thunder Needs to Do to Win
Now that we have laid out what a Game 5 loss and win would mean for this Thunder team, the question becomes: how do the Thunder win this pivotal game? The answer to that boils down to three simple things. The first is that they have to keep limiting Nikola Jokic. The Thunder have done a great job limiting Jokic in three of the four games so far and must continue in Game 5. If Jokic starts making shots like he is capable of, it opens up more things for the Nuggets’ offense, including his playmaking, which the Thunder have completely neutralized at this point.
Next, the Thunder must make their open three-pointers. The Nuggets have been running a lot of zone defense on the Thunder, and it has made the Thunder a little stagnant on offense. The best way to get a team out of a zone is by making your shots, which the Thunder did in Game 2 and blew the Nuggets off the floor. Finally, Gilgeous-Alexander must perform like an MVP. Shai has struggled with his efficiency to this point, and this can’t continue if the Thunder wants to win this series and others moving forward. Shai has to do a better job of closing games out in the fourth, and it will have to come down to making tough contested shots, which he is no stranger to doing.
The Last Word
The Thunder stole one on the road, which is what they needed to do after dropping Game 1 at home. Now the Thunder are back in control of this series, and as long as they don’t lose at home, they will be advancing to the Western Conference Finals. Game 5 will prove if this Thunder team is ready for the next step or if they are still just too young. Regardless of what happens, this series against a championship pedigree team will help this Thunder team grow and improve.
© Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
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