The Oklahoma City Thunder pulled themselves away from having their backs against the wall in the 2025 NBA Playoffs.
Approaching with a must-win mentality, the OKC Thunder emerged with success against the Denver Nuggets in Game 4, securing a 92-87 Game 4 victory.
After receiving flak, MVP contender Shai Gilgeous-Alexander powered OKC with 25 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists in 38 minutes.
Gilgeous-Alexander was effective in getting to the free-throw line, going 9-12, raising the eyebrows of Nuggets interim coach David Adelman.
While Shai Gilgeous-Alexander served as their driving force again, OKC would not have clinched this important Game 4 victory without their supporting cast.
As Jalen Williams struggled to step up as the team’s No. 2, Oklahoma City’s reliable role players picked up the slack to help SGA and the Thunder tie the seven-game matchup.
Specifically, the main help arrived from OKC’s topnotch bench. Alex Caruso remained as the team’s X-factor with 10 markers, impressing fans with his two-way play.
As such, both Cason Wallace and Aaron Wiggins dropped 11 points each, combining for six huge triples out of nine attempts.
Data shows how both teams struggled offensively, going for a combined 21 of 86 three-point shooting.
OKC were able to come out on top thanks to their bench, which Stephen A. Smith commended.
“When it counted, [Gilgeous-Alexander] made sure his presence was felt, and that’s why I think he is the imminent MVP,” the ESPN analyst began on NBA Countdown.
“But let’s also give credit to the bench for the Oklahoma City Thunder, Caruso, Wiggins, Wallace, they ultimately contributed to outscoring Denver 35-to-8 in bench points.
“You have to look at that level of contribution. It wasn’t a good shooting game by either squad; both teams shot 24.4% from three-point range.
“But ultimately, as SGA highlighted, we hang our hats on defense. We knew what we could do against them defensively. That’s what they did, and they got help from their bench, and that’s how they got it done.”
Smith added: “OKC hit 10 three-pointers for the game. The bench, the three guys that I mentioned, hit eight of them.”
It was indeed a great team effort from Oklahoma City. And just when it mattered the most, they helped tremendously to avoid a potential 3-1 hole.
As it is now a best-of-three series, the Thunder will continue to lean on their secondary pieces in order to finally beat the Nuggets, advance to the next round, and continue fulfilling their historic 68-win campaign.
Kendrick Perkins, who was in awe of Wallace’s “pitbull” display this Game 4, also offered his praise to OKC’s bench mob.
“The bench won them the game today, right? Alex Caruso, with his championship experience, got it done on both ends of the floor. That damn Cason Wallace, I love him to death, hit timely threes right when
“Denver was making a run to get back in the game. He defended Jamal Murray at a high level, especially in the two-man action. And then, all of a sudden, you see SGA take them home,” Perkins said.
“Sometimes you just have to go get wins, and they’re not always pretty. They have to be ugly wins, won in the trenches, and that’s what OKC did tonight.”
Game 5 between the Thunder and the Nuggets is scheduled for May 13.
