The Western Conference Semifinals continue on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, with Game 2 between the Denver Nuggets and the Oklahoma City Thunder, as the league’s top-seeded Thunder aim to extend their 1–0 series lead at home. Oklahoma City, who finished the regular season with a dominant 68–14 record, demonstrated in Game 1 why they’ve been the NBA’s most complete team this year, holding Denver to under 100 points and showcasing their elite defense that has carried over into the postseason. Led by MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder are thriving with a blend of youthful energy, length, switchable defenders, and an offense that flows through multiple creators, allowing them to adapt to different matchups fluidly. Their defense, which owns the league’s best postseason rating so far at 99.4, has been particularly stifling against Denver, with the total going UNDER in seven of the last nine meetings between these two clubs. Their home-court advantage has been pronounced, with a 9–1 record against the spread in their last 10 home games, and they’ve often buried opponents early by controlling tempo and getting out in transition off turnovers. Denver, meanwhile, comes in looking to regroup after a draining seven-game series win over the Clippers and a flat Game 1 performance in which fatigue may have played a role, though superstar center Nikola Jokić’s light 32-minute workload in Game 7 could help mitigate wear and tear.

The Nuggets, who finished the regular season 50–32 and remain the reigning NBA champions, are seeking to reset mentally and tactically in Game 2, knowing they cannot afford to return to Denver in an 0–2 hole. Their 38–45 record against the spread this season reflects struggles with consistency, especially on the road, and they’ll need significantly improved shot-making from Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. to stretch Oklahoma City’s disciplined defense and open up the floor for Jokić to operate. The key for Denver will be limiting Oklahoma City’s fast breaks and generating quality looks early in the shot clock before the Thunder’s set defense takes shape. For OKC, it’s about staying the course—dictating pace, keeping their rotations crisp, and letting SGA go to work in isolation or pick-and-roll against Denver’s slower bigs. The battle in the paint will be crucial; while Jokić gives Denver a technical edge on offense, Chet Holmgren’s rim protection and weakside help have disrupted plenty of interior touches, and his floor spacing offensively forces Denver’s bigs to guard the perimeter—something they’re less comfortable doing. If the Thunder can continue to control the glass, limit turnovers, and shoot efficiently from beyond the arc, they’ll be in excellent position to take a commanding lead in the series. On the flip side, Denver has the experience and talent to respond—but it will require their best game yet to wrest control away from a Thunder team that looks increasingly poised and championship-ready. Game 2 promises to be a crucial litmus test for both teams: for the Nuggets, a chance to remind everyone why they’re defending champs; for the Thunder, another step in what’s beginning to look like a deep postseason run built on youth, defense, and sheer will.