The Oklahoma City Thunder withdrew from Game 1 in the 2025 Western Conference Semi-Finals, and there are many reasons to be upset. When you give up 14 points in the last quarter and half of the fourth quarter, you deliberately give your opponent two chances, and in the last 15 seconds, the clock goes out, misses a pair of free throws, a pair of free throws, a pair of free throws, a 3 points to win the game, lose 6 months of advantage, and make money there, make money there, make money there, make money there, make money there, make money there, make money there, make money there, make money there, make money there, make money there, make money there, make money there, make money in that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at that game, make money at a one-on-one game, make money at a one-on-one game. a lot of Don't like it; it's not a fun time on the court.

However, there is Thunder MVP finalist Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who came on the podium after a shocking loss and made the affirmative choice to watch the light of life. Tim Macmahon from ESPN:

“It should be fun,” Gilgeous-Alexander said after his first playoff defeat. "We're going to find out what we're making, what we really make up. No one expects it to go smoothly throughout the journey. No life, we know. Today is a bumpy road - an accident. No one expects to lose, especially that, but it's a game of life. So how do you deal with being knocked down."

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Oklahoma City didn't get knocked out much in the regular season - the outstanding campaign in history made the Thunder the seventh NBA team in at least 68 games of all time, with a top-of-the-range adjusted net score since the Bulls in 1996 and the highest average win of all time. Gilgeous-Alexander and Co. The only Dalians in adversity during the first round of the Grizzlies series was Memphis who built a 28-point lead in the first half of Game 3…just seeing star point guard Ja Morant gets hurt by the hip, OKC stands out in the NBA competition and stands out in the NBA competition.

"We have to embrace the playoffs struggles and embrace the adversity of the playoffs," Thunder coach Mark Digneault told reporters. "The playoffs are a mountain to climb, so it's not easy for anyone. We played the coast in the first round. It's challenging in the game, but we've always controlled the series. But, in the season, no one just walked their path in this series."

In rare cases Have done it However, being knocked down, thunder tends to take off the mat at a prosperous speed. Oklahoma City lost two consecutive games throughout the season: against the Mavericks and Spurs in November, when the big men without injuries Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein, then; after OKC had sewn the first seeds of the West, the Rockets and the Lakers in April. Outside those two sets, the Thunder passed and won a big win – with an average of 17.5 points and a small blowout of 20 points.

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A Nuggets led by Nikola Jokić has struggled to patiently smash Holmgren-Hartenstein's frontline with Nikola Jokić - and all the other defenders against him, which was a powerful rebound.

"He's the best player in the world," the Nuggets defender (and beloved former Thunder superstar) told reporters after the victory. “Simple and simple.”

That's the crown that Gilgeous-Alexander wants to wear: the title he's working for the past two seasons is the rare air he longs for breathing. He scored 11 points in the fourth point, including a pair of free throws on 26, 10 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals, a block and just 1 turnover in just 40 minutes, which included free throws from a pair of clutchs and a last 15-second driving dunk - enough to beat most teams most nights.

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But Game 1 - The Thunder had just 38% floor in the second half, and only one shot was called in the last three minutes. With the league's best free throw team under the title of 9.5 ticks left for the couple in Holmgren's absence, not most nights. Even with a tough seven-game game against the Clippers, Jokic, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon and the champion forged Nuggets only have one game that isn't most teams.

Knocking them down will require the best level that Oklahoma City has to offer - 48 minutes higher than the locking level usually required in this magical run. The Nuggets hope to see it on Wednesday in Game 2.

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"We have to be unhappy," Nuggets forward Peyton Watson told reporters. “We know how dangerous they are as a team.”

If Thunder didn't know how dangerous the Nuggets were, then they did it now. Their processing of this information may go a long way to help determine whether we regard Game 1 as a speed bump or an obstacle.

“We didn’t expect our whole run to be sunshine and rainbow,” Gill Axend said. The first game was a gray cloud. Then, the rest is to find a glimmer of hope.