
Thunder look to take down experienced Nuggets team
USA TODAY Sports’ Lorenzo Reyes breaks down the second-round matchup between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Denver Nuggets.
Sports Pulse
The Oklahoma City Thunder had a first half for the NBA record book in Game 2 against the Denver Nuggets Wednesday.
The Thunder scored 87 points – IN THE FIRST HALF! That set an NBA record for most points in the first half of a playoff game, surpassing the 86 points Cleveland scored against Golden State in Game 4 of the 2017 Finals. It also equals the most points in any half of a playoff game, matching the 87 points Milwaukee scored against Denver on April 23, 1978.
Oklahoma City shot 58.8% from the field (30-for-51), 43.5% on 3-pointers (10-for-23) and 94.4% on free throws (17-for-18) in the first two quarters.
The Thunder led by as many as 35 points – 84-49 with 1:32 left in the second quarter – and took an 87-56 lead into halftime.
Ten Thunder players scored in the first half, including six players in double figures led by MVP finalist Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 18 points and seven assists.
Denver won Game 1 121-119.
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