Thunder-Nuggets series sees Thunder triumph, leveling the scores; Knicks secure a 2-0 lead over the Celtics
Revised Article:
LOOKIE HERE, DING DANG, it's a wild one, folks! Shai Gilgeous-Alexander lit up the court on Wednesday, scorin' a whopping 34 points in just three frickin' quarters! That's right, ya heard it—the Oklahoma City Thunder dashed the Denver Nuggets 149-106, makin' NBA history, and levelin' the Western Conference semi-final series at 1-1.
Not only did the Thunder obliterate the previous NBA Playoffs record for first-half points, they freakin' smashed it with an astounding 87 points! Back in 2017, the Cleveland Cavaliers gave Golden State Warriors a run for their money with 86 points in Game 4 of the NBA Finals[2]. But, lemme tell you, our boys in blue and orange not only met but bested that record, thanks to some precision play and a spectacular final-second FT by Chet Holmgren.
You might recall Holmgren missedin' a couple of crucial FTs in Game 1. But by George, he came through like a boss in the second quarter, makin' his pair with just one second remainin', sendin' the Thunder into halftime with a mammoth 87-56 lead! The Thunder tied the record for points in any playoff half that was previously set by the Milwaukee Bucks in 1978[3].
As for the Nuggets, center Nikola Jokic summed it up with, "Basically, it was one team playin' tonight." The Thunder were determined to avoid goin' down 2-0 on the road. They sure did, makin' history as the first team to win a second-round game at home.
Gilgeous-Alexander was a one-man wreckin' ball, makin' 11 outta 13 field goals, all 11 of his FTs, and dishin' out a solid eight assists. He had eight players in double figures, lettin' everyone get a slice of the action.
Coach Mark Daigneault raved about Gilgeous-Alexander, sayin': "He made 'em pay when they overhelped on him. He had the ball ahead of 'em all night, so he got his teammates shots, too. It wasn't just a one-man show. He was super efficient. I mean, he had an unbelievable blend tonight."
Jokic, who put up 42 points and 22 boards in Game 1, had a modest 17 points and eight rebounds on Wednesday—before foulin' out late in the third quarter. Russell Westbrook led the Nuggets with 19 points.
On a separate note, the Knicks found themselves in quite the scrap in Boston, rallyin' from a 20-point deficit and snatchin' a 91-90 victory over the Celtics. That's right, darlin', they managed to pull off another epic comeback, snatchin' a commandin' 2-0 lead over the defending NBA champions in their Eastern Conference semi-final series.
Mikal Bridges scored all 14 of his points in the fourth quarter for the Knicks. After erasin' a 20-point deficit in Game 1, he came up big again, securin' a key steal as Boston's Jayson Tatum drove for a potential game-winner. All-Star Josh Hart led the Knicks with 23 points, and Jalen Brunson delivered the goods when it mattered, securin' a well-deserved win.
"I'm just happy we found a way to win," Brunson told broadcaster TNT. "That's some wild stuff right there."
[1] Search Results: New York Times, ESPN, CBS Sports - The specific team that held the NBA Playoffs record for most first-half points was not identified in the search results.[2] Search Results: Sports Illustrated, Cnn.com, Bleacher Report – The Cleveland Cavaliers scored 86 points in the first half of Game 4 in the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors in 2017.[3] Search Results: NBA.com, Yahoo Sports, Forbes - The record for points in any playoff half was previously held by the Milwaukee Bucks (87 points in the second half against Denver on April 23, 1978). This record includes both regular season and playoff games.
- Chet Holmgren, who struggled with free throws in Game 1, made a crucial pair with one second remaining in the first half, helping the Thunder tie the NBA record for points in a playoff half, previously held by the Milwaukee Bucks.
- The Oklahoma City Thunder, led by the exceptional performance of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, obliterated the NBA Playoffs record for first-half points, scoring an astounding 87 points, surpassing the record set by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2017.
- In an unbelievable comeback, the Knicks snatched a commanding 2-0 lead over the defending NBA champions, the Celtics, after a thrilling 91-90 victory, following a 20-point deficit in Game 1.
- Mikal Bridges, scoring all 14 of his points in the fourth quarter, secured a key steal as Boston's Jayson Tatum drove for a potential game-winner, exemplifying his clutch play in the Eastern Conference semi-final series.
