Stiles Points: Youth and Inexperience Catches Up to OKC Thunder

Through all the glamor, headlines and history of a 68-win season, the Oklahoma City Thunder only left observers with one question: Are they too young?

The OKC Thunder, amidst its regular season success en route to the No. 1 seed in the NBA, is still the youngest team in the NBA Postseason.

When trying to pick at a resume that included the best point differential in NBA history, the most double-digit wins in league history and sweeping its first-round matchup for the second straight season, the only holes you could poke at with the Thunder were its inexperience in big moments.

The lights get brighter, the pressure mounts and the game changes in the NBA Playoffs. This is just the Thunder's second-ever crack at climbing the postseason mountain.

They lean on second and third-year players Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams to be its co-stars alongside the league's scoring champion Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. OKC counts on its supporting cast to pour in big shots despite that lack of track record. It is a massive stress test on this roster.

Especially when you pit them against the Denver Nuggets, a core that not only has won a championship but has six trusted and proven players to toss out there and make big plays.

In Game 1, plenty was in the Thunder's favor.

Oklahoma City had the rest advantage, the depth advantage, the talent gap proven throughout the regular season, and more continuity after the Denver Nuggets fired their coach approximately 12 minutes ago. What didn't they have? Experience.

Teams in the Nuggets' shoes, having just played a Game 7 and in less than three days starting Game 1 of the next series on the road, were 4-19 entering today. Make that, 5-19.

Despite the Thunder swelling a 14-point lead, in a game they controlled most of the way, seeing just two lead changes bookend this game, it all came crumbling down in the final 15 seconds of this tilt.

Oklahoma City played tight; they tried to not lose instead of gunning for a win and they made too many silly mistakes.

Shooting 71% from the free throw line, including an 0-for-2 trip in the second-to-last possession? A massive mistake. Being self-admittedly outworked, out hustled, out-effort'd and lacking physicality in a playoff game leading to a 72-53 rebounding edge for the Nuggets? Inexcusable. Shooting 34.9% from beyond the arc despite Lu Dort and Alex Caruso hitting nine between the two? Not good enough.

"I didn't think our execution was as clean as it can be. But we'll learn from it. It's a series," Head coach Mark Daigneault said following Game 1.

The Thunder shot 34% from the floor, 22% from 3-point land and missed three free throws in a two-point game during the final 12 minutes of action. In that span? Holmgren and Williams, OKC's co-stars, went a combined 2-9 from the floor to the tune of 8 points.

"We're gonna find out what we're made of, what we're really made of. We couldn't expect it to be smooth sailing this whole journey. No journey in life is and we know that... It's about how you respond to getting knocked down," Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said postseason.

Gilgeous-Alexander, who turned in 13 points, a rebound and an assist in the final frame on 57/50/100 shooting splits en route to totaling 33 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists, two steals and a block on 46/33/77 shooting splits, is right.

This team will walk into another unfamiliar setting on Wednesday for Game 2. Their backs against the wall, the pressure at a fever-pitch and nervous energy filling their own arena as they have to find a way to have the first of what Bricktown hopes will be many playoff moments. Against a team that has too many of those moments to mention.

Tonight, it was the league MVP and the others. Outside of Alex Caruso and the final two-and-a-half quarters from Lu Dort, the Thunder's roster left plenty to be desired. A must-win Game 2 only adds to the question marks around this team.

Ultimately, this game will be looked at as one that not only got away but was given away. Fouling up 3 too soon, missing free throws in retaliation and a laboring offense doomed OKC.

Is it possible for OKC to lose the youth label and prove themselves as legit contenders this season? We are about to find out.

Song of the Day: Give it Away by George Strait