Finally, the waiting is over for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
After OKC dispatched the Memphis Grizzlies in short order –– a four game sweep that wrapped up a week ago to the day –– they had to wait out the first round series between the Denver Nuggets and LA Clippers to determine its Round 2 matchup.
Those two battled in a decisive Game 7 on Saturday, May 3, inside Ball Arena. The Nuggets throttled the Clippers to put an exclamation point on a series win and punch their ticket into the second round of the NBA Playoffs for the third straight season.
Both teams were bounced in the second round a year ago, with one of these two squads promised to make it further this go around.
In the regular season, the Nuggets and Thunder split the regular season series 2-2. Oklahoma City at 68-14, owns the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference with home court advantage throughout the NBA Playoffs, welcomes in the No. 4-seeded Denver Nuggets (50-32).
This matchup not only sees the No. 1 and No. 4 seeds –– and Division foes –– go toe-to-toe, but the top two finishers in the last two NBA MVP races in Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. During this series, it will also mark the return of franchise legend Russell Westbrook to Oklahoma City. This will be Westbrook’s second playoff series against OKC, though his first in front of fans.
The Thunder will be tested for the first time in this postseason during this best-of-7 series, but remain the favorites out West.
