OKC Thunder Beat Nuggets in Game 7, Advance to Western Conference Finals

Live updates from Oklahoma City and Denver’s winner-take-all Game 7.

May 9, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) reacts to a foul called in the first half against the Oklahoma City Thunder during game three of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

On Sunday afternoon, the Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets face off in a winner-take-all Game 7 to advance to the Western Conference Finals.

The series has gone back-and-forth from the beginning, with Aaron Gordon stealing Game 1 on a go-ahead 3-pointer. Oklahoma City would battle into a 3-2 advantage, before a poised Game 6 win from Denver to force a final bout.

One of Denver's best contributors in Aaron Gordon will reportedly attempt to start and play through a Grade 2 hamtring strain he suffered in Game 6. The winner will face the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference Finals, across from the Knicks and Pacers in the East.

Here are live updates for Game 7:

Tipoff is a 2:30 p.m. CT.

First Quarter: Nuggets 26, Thunder 21

The team traded buckets early, with Denver seeing offense come easier. After the Michael Porter Jr. offensive put-back, OKC called a timeout down 8-4.

Midway through the quarter, the Nuggets continued to be the more comfortable team, grabbing an 10-point lead by getting to the line and using Christian Braun-fueled offense.

Oklahoma City finally loosened up to end the quarter, with Aaron Wiggins and Alex Caruso providing a bench spark with a great blend of both offense and defense to cut the lead to just five heading into the second quarter.

Second Quarter: Thunder 60, Nuggets 46

Oklahoma City started out the second frame strong, with All-Star forward Jalen Williams getting downhill twice, and Isaiah Hartenstein putting a rebound back to force a Denver timeout. Oklahoma City leads by three with 10:27 left in the second quarter.

The second quarter as a whole has been a grind-it-out battle, with OKC holding a slight lead, but the team's trading buckets and defensive stands. With just over three minutes remaining in the half, the Thunder hold a 42-41 lead.

Oklahoma City finally saw a burst of offense to end the second quarter, largely led by Jalen Williams, who pushed his second-quarter line to 17 points on 7-for-12 to give OKC a 14-point lead at the break.

Third Quarter: Thunder 97, Nuggets 72

The Thunder continued to pour it on early in the third, with Oklahoma City earning two free throws and the ball after a Gordon flagrant foul. Williams would go on to hit yet another jumper, followed by a Shai Gilgeous-Alexander step-back three, and OKC leads by 23.

After amassing its biggest lead of the game, the Thunder would continue to keep the Nuggets at arm's length, with the lead hovering around 20 points despite attempts from Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Braun.

With defense-fueled runs from Cason Wallace and Caruso, the Thunder were able to push their lead to 25 entering the final frame of the series.

Final: thunder 125, Nuggets 93

The fourth quarter was much of the same, with both teams emptying their bench early in the contest.

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