The Denver Nuggets are on the brink of elimination after a 112-105 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 5 of their Western Conference Semifinal series on Monday night, May 12, 2025. Despite a 2-1 series lead following a 113-104 overtime win in Game 3, the Nuggets have dropped the last two games, leaving them in a 3-2 hole as the series shifts back to Ball Arena for Game 6 tomorrow night. The Thunder, who finished the regular season with a league-best 68-14 record, are now one win away from the Western Conference Finals, but Nikola Jokic and his squad aren’t going down without a fight.
Game 5 saw the Nuggets squander an eight-point lead entering the fourth quarter, as the Thunder outscored them 34-19 in the final frame to secure the victory. Jokic was a force, pouring in 44 points on 17-of-25 shooting, including 5-of-7 from three, while grabbing 15 rebounds. Jamal Murray added 28 points in 42 minutes, but it wasn’t enough to overcome OKC’s late surge, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 31 points and clutch plays from Jalen Williams and Lu Dort. The Nuggets’ depth issues were glaring—they were outscored 44-25 over the final 17 minutes, with Michael Porter Jr. and Russell Westbrook combining for a dismal 2-of-14 shooting performance, as noted in reports from The Athletic.
This series has been a grind for Jokic, who’s struggled to find his usual MVP form. In the three games before Game 5, the three-time league MVP averaged just 21.3 points on 33.3% shooting and 18.2% from three, with 16 turnovers across that span. But his Game 5 outburst showed he’s still capable of taking over, and he’s not ready to let the Thunder close this out easily. “We’re not going to go and just give them Game 6,” Jokic told reporters after the loss. “I mean, we’ll be playing in front of our crowd. I think only the second game was kind of a blowout, and every other game was interesting. We were there. So, I think we have a chance and we will play our best.”
Jokic’s confidence isn’t just talk—this Nuggets team has championship DNA from their 2023 title run, and they’ve been battle-tested in close games throughout this series. Four of the five games have been tightly contested, with Game 2’s 149-106 Thunder blowout being the lone exception. Jokic, who thrives in high-stakes moments, emphasized his approach: “Every close, competitive game is enjoyable for me. If it’s in the playoffs or the first game of the season, I think I play the game every day the same way. That’s the key to being prepared, of your mindset. Every game is the same.”
The Nuggets know what’s at stake in Game 6 on Thursday at 8:30 PM ET. A win forces a decisive Game 7 back in Oklahoma City on Sunday, where the Thunder would face the pressure of closing out a series against a Denver team with nothing to lose. But OKC’s depth, led by Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams, and the dynamic big-man duo of Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein, has been a difference-maker—they combined for 29 points and 15 rebounds in Game 5, as reported by The Athletic. The Thunder’s ability to wear down Denver’s starters, who are logging heavy minutes, has been key, especially in the fourth quarter of Game 5 when the Nuggets’ legs gave out.
Still, Jokic’s warning shouldn’t be taken lightly. The Nuggets have the experience, the home crowd, and a superstar who just dropped 44 points in a must-win game. “We have a chance,” Jokic said, and he’s banking on his team showing up with their best to keep this season alive. For Nuggets fans, it’s a nervy moment, but Jokic’s defiance offers hope that this series isn’t over yet. Will Denver force a Game 7, or will the Thunder seal their spot in the Western Conference Finals? Thursday night in Denver will tell the tale.
