Alright, Nuggets fans, here we are—Game 6, and your team’s season is hanging by a thread. Down 3-2 to the Thunder, this isn’t just another playoff game; it’s the “win or pack your bags” kind of night. Everyone’s sweating if Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon are gonna suit up, because let’s be real — without those two, Denver’s offense and defense look like a busted pickup squad. So yeah, all eyes on those injury updates, because this series ain’t waiting around.
The official injury report confirms that both Murray and Gordon are healthy and expected to play, giving Denver its full core for the first elimination game of their 2025 postseason. That’s a huge sigh of relief for head coach David Adelman, who desperately needs every bit of the firepower and defensive grit to push this series to a Game 7.
On the flip side, DaRon Holmes II (Achilles) and Hunter Tyson (ankle) remain sidelined for Denver, though neither has seen much action this series, with only Tyson clocking in to 12 minutes last Thursday with 8 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal. Meanwhile, Thunder rookie Nikola Topic is out for the entire season due to an injury which has plagued our favourites, a Torn ACL. Beyond that, both teams are rolling with their regular rotation— no excuses, just basketball.
Injury Report ahead of Game Six against the Thunder:
OUT:
Hunter Tyson (Right Ankle Sprain)
DaRon Holmes II (Right Achilles Tendon Repair)#MileHighPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/hU5GE4FzpP
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) May 14, 2025
So, with Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon’s injury news settled, here’s why this Game 6 is make-or-break for the Nuggets — and what it means with their full squad finally ready to roll.
What must the Nuggets do to survive Game 6?
Alright, Nuggets have Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon back for this must-win Game 6. Finally, Denver’s got their full lineup ready. It felt like a luxury they didn’t have for a while. Jamal’s been Jokic’s go-to guy all series — scoring, creating, and playing clutch minutes. His shot’s been streaky, but he’s still the guy. Meanwhile, Gordon? Pure grit. Locking down defenders and crashing boards hard. Just what Denver needs to slow OKC’s young, athletic squad.
That said, being healthy doesn’t fix everything. The Thunder’s defense has been suffocating. Lu Dort’s locking down like a pro. Chet Holmgren’s swatting everything near the rim. As a result, Denver’s forced into tough shots. So far, only Jokic and Gordon are shooting over 40%. Plus, the team’s three-point shooting sits at a brutal 32.5%. Michael Porter Jr. is clearly hurting, shooting under 40%, and looking off with that shoulder. Braun’s not much better at 33.3%. Not great when you need buckets.
On top of that, the bench? Yikes. They’re only putting up 15.8 points per game. Meanwhile, OKC’s reserves bring energy and boost their starters. When Jokic rests, Denver’s offense dies. Unfortunately, the bench hasn’t done much to help or keep leads.
Then there are the turnovers — a total nightmare. OKC’s aggressive defense forces tons of mistakes. Game 5 alone had 29 turnovers total. Nuggets giveaways led to easy Thunder fast-break points. Denver must tighten up and make smarter reads. Otherwise, this series ends tonight.
After that loss, interim coach David Adelman kept it real: “This is a really disappointing loss. The guys in there should be disappointed. It’s a heavy loss and we have to bounce back quickly to win Game 6 and give ourselves a chance to come back, have a game like this, but finish it.” Translation? No time to sulk. Time to focus.
On the other side, OKC’s attack is balanced. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander carried a big load with a 36% usage rate in Game 5. Denver’s defense was chasing shadows all night. Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein combined for 29 points and 15 rebounds. They sliced through pick-and-rolls and backdoor cuts easily. Although their three-point shooting isn’t great (33.7%), their clutch stops and hustle make the difference.
So, Game 6 is do-or-die for Denver. They must lean on their stars to score and create. But stars alone won’t cut it. Role players need to snap out of slumps. Likewise, the bench must match OKC’s energy and toughness. Finally, controlling turnovers is key. Too many careless mistakes gave Thunder easy points. Winning the rebound battle and grabbing second chances will help Denver pull this off.
Bottom line: Adelman needs to trust his core but also expect clutch effort from role players. No room for mistakes here. Discipline and execution are the only ways to crack OKC’s tough defense and force Game 7.
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