OKC Routs Denver; 149-106, Ties Series; Semis Series in East Remain Topsy-turvy as Boston Goes Down 0-2 With 91-90 Loss to NY
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 08 May 2025
The Oklahoma City Thunder restored a semblance of order in the Western Conference Semifinal series, tying the score with the Denver Nuggets following a decisive 149-106 rout today.
Meanwhile, the Eastern Conference Semifinals remained topsy-turvy as the #2 seed and defending champion Boston Celtics fell again to the #3 New York Knicks, 91-90, falling into a 2-0 hole in the process.
Top seed Cleveland Cavaliers had earlier gone down by the same series deficit against the #4 Indiana Pacers, losing by a point on a Tyrese Haliburton three-pointer after leading for most of their second game. The Pacers took the opener by ten points, almost the same margin posted by New York against Boston in their first game.
The coincidences do not end there. All four teams were also semifinalists last season, only with different opponents. After respectively disposing of Cleveland and Indiana, Boston went on to face New York in the Eastern Conference Finals and won. Which may not be the case this time.
Not wanting to suffer the fate of their Eastern counterparts, the Thunder opened the second game like a house on fire, immediately posting huge early leads. The Nuggets won Game One on a last-second three-pointer by Aaron Gordon.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander immediately went to work in combination with Jalen Williams and Lu Dort. Big men Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein, and Jaylin Williams imposed themselves in the painted area, harassing and limiting the Nuggets' Nikola Jokic, Gordon, and Michael Porter Jr.
This resulted in a huge 45-21 lead in the first quarter that translated to a record 87-56 halftime advantage.
The margin even went up to nearly 50 points at the end of the third period, 124-76, as Alexander continued to pour it on with scoring support from Williams, Dort, Holmgren, and even Hartenstein.
On the other side, only Russell Westbrook was able to score with more consistency as Jokic, Gordon, Porter, and Jamal Murray were all stymied by the Thunder defense and overwhelmed by Oklahoma's blitzkrieg offense.
Alexander topped all scorers with 34 points as he led seven other Thunder players in double figures, scoring from 10 to 17 points.
Westbrook led the scoring for the losers with 19 points. Jokic was limited to only 17, and Murray had just 14.
The Knicks outscored Boston 30-17 in the last quarter for the come-from-behind victory as the Celtics' outside shooting deserted them in the face of New York's resolute zone defense.
The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
OKC Routs Denver; 149-106, Ties Series; Semis Series in East Remain Topsy-turvy as Boston Goes Down 0-2 With 91-90 Loss to NY
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Thu, 08 May 2025SHAW SENDS A MESSAGE IN HUNT FOR UK OPEN GLORY | 2025 UK OPEN POOL CHAMPIONSHIP
Thu, 08 May 2025WBO presents the Amanda Serrano Championships
Thu, 08 May 2025GM Antonio faces tough competition in ASEAN Seniors Chess Championships in Penang, Malaysia
By Marlon Bernardino, Thu, 08 May 2025Boxing: Entertainment Sport or Sport Entertainment?
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Wed, 07 May 2025JIM LAMPLEY'S BOOK TOUR IS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA THIS WEEK!
Wed, 07 May 2025CAPITO IGNITES TITLE DEFENCE IN STYLE | 2025 UK OPEN POOL CHAMPIONSHIP
Wed, 07 May 2025Sol Levinson: The Man Whose Gloves Elevated Boxing
By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, Tue, 06 May 2025Undefeated Cuban Heavyweight Prospect Dainier Pero Finishes Intense Las Vegas Training Camp Ahead of May 9 MVP Main Event on DAZN
Tue, 06 May 2025The Past Week in Action 5 May 2025: Inoue-Cardenas Saves Historic Boxing Weekend; Canelo-Scull Sets New Record for Fewest Punches Thrown
By Eric Armit, Tue, 06 May 2025Sampson Lewkowicz Congratulates Cardenas, Romero and Espinoza and Vows to Make Next Year's Cinco de Mayo Unforgettable, Highlighted by David Benavidez Facing the Winner of Bivol vs. Beterbiev
Tue, 06 May 2025Saving the Best for Last: GSW Upstages Raw Rockets
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Tue, 06 May 2025Antonio, Bagamasbad face tough competition in Woman FIDE Master Sheerie Joy Lomibao Open Rapid Chess Tournament on May 18
By Marlon Bernardino, Tue, 06 May 2025Andres “Savage” Cortes Finishes Strong Training Camp Ahead of Crucial May 10 Clash Against Salvador Jimenez at Pechanga Arena San Diego
Tue, 06 May 2025SALITA PROMOTIONS and ALL THE SMOKE FIGHT PRESENT HALL OF FAME FIGHT NIGHT
Tue, 06 May 2025