How has the NBA narrative switched so easily? The Wild West lived upto it’s name just 10 days ago. But now, we could genuinely have a Knicks vs Pacers ECF on the cards. But who could the pair be meeting in the elusive NBA finals? The Warriors are 1-0 up against Minnesota, but are without Stephen Curry. So that tie’s still wide open. On the other side, the Thunder got their mojo back after deep frying the Nuggets into the eighth circle of hell. But that tie’s still open too – and it could lead to some unfortunate deja vu for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Co.
Anyone draw any parallels from last season for Mark Daigneault’s boys? They finished top of the West in 2023-24, and proceeded to dominate the first round against the Pelicans. Two games into the semis, they were 1-1 to the Mavs. It’s the same movie, just a different cast featuring a Serbian Nikola Jokic instead of a Slovenian Luka Doncic. And if the same wounds were to show themselves, Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix thinks it’ll be the writing on the wall for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s stay in The Big Friendly.
“Lot to get long way to go in [the Nuggets] series, but if they bow out in the second round for the second year in a row, they may start to get a little bit desperate because Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is young, but he’s not that young,” said Mannix on The Rich Eisen Show. The Thunder had a 49-point lead at one point in the game, just displaying their unparalleled class. But Shai’s 26 now – and entering his prime. The MVP frontrunner doesn’t have all the time in the world anymore. And this could lead to the OKC making some desperate decisions.
Mar 16, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) looks on in the second quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
But that’s not all. Apparently, an eager Milwaukee Bucks side could swoop in for another Thunder starlet, which will take the league by storm. And it’s not Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Any guesses? It’s Jalen Williams. An upheaval of numbers this season has gotten reporters to see another James Harden on the cards. And averaging 21.6/5.3/5.1 while shooting 48.4% from the field with 1.6 blocks per game, the Bucks might see him as the perfect replacement for a possibly outgoing Giannis Antetokounmpo.
“They’re a team with its star in his prime coming off a probable MVP season. They’re team that could make a huge offer. And if I’m Milwaukee and I can choose between offers of Jalen Green and a bunch of good draft picks and maybe all the draft picks that Oklahoma City has to offer. And Jalen Williams, who I think could be James Harden 2.0. If you gave Jalen Williams room to blossom, he could be a superstar in this league. I think he has that much talent,” said Mannix on the 24-year-old shooting guard.
But as the SI reporter said, the tie’s far from over. OKC have lost their home court advantage now, and might be the next victim of altitude sickness in the Mile-High City. However, if the Nuggets bring the same Game 2 performance, then it might be “Thunder in 5.” Sorry, Shannon Sharpe, it had to be done.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s superstar performance sweeps a complacent Nuggets
OKC haven’t lost two games on the bounce since November 2023. But if anyone were to do it, it’s the scrappy Denver Nuggets. They came into the game after pulling off the heist of the century, after Aaron Gordon’s shot from deep confirmed a 15-point comeback in Game 1. But there were persistent problems David Adelman saw in that first game, which hit Denver like a tsunami in Game 2.
The Thunder recorded 87 first-half points, an NBA playoff record for points in a half. And Denver’s interim HC put it perfectly. “We got punked. And we allowed ourselves to get punked. We didn’t play well enough at any point, and we have to realize that this is a team that can separate from other teams. There’s a reason this team has a historic plus/minus. We need a better start than that. We need to be better than that.” But the Nuggets have been here before.
They got destroyed in Game 3 in the first round against the Clippers too, falling 117-83 at Intuit Dome. But they took it game-by-game, and showed their spirit through some clutch performances by the likes of Gordon, Jokic, and Jamal Murray. And just like that, they need to bring the heat in Game 3. The Nuggets must battle back, and whether they succeed will have a significant impact on the rest of the series.
Apr 4, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) takes a breather during the game against the Golden State Warriors in the third period at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images
Calling this a set tie after two games is outrageous. At this point, it could go either way. But the repercussions either way are obvious. For Thunder, a second-round bow out could see Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on the chopping block for some younguns. But could Jalen Williams also see the same fate?
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