Denver Nuggets kept their NBA title defense alive with a commanding 119-107 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 6 of the Western Conference semi-finals on Thursday night.
Nikola Jokic once again led from the front, tallying 29 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists to level the series at 3-3.
But it was Julian Strawther who stole the spotlight late on, erupting off the bench with a crucial third-quarter scoring burst that turned the game in Denver’s favor.
Trailing by 12 late in the second quarter, the Nuggets clawed back to within three by halftime, and it remained tight until Strawther sparked a 10-0 run to end the third quarter.
The 23-year-old hit two threes and a layup in quick succession to hand Denver a 90-80 lead.
From there, the defending champions never looked back. Jamal Murray chipped in 25 points while Christian Braun added 23 as the Nuggets kept OKC at bay in the fourth to send the series to a decider.
