DENVER — The Denver Nuggets aren’t done yet.

After two gut-wrenching losses in Games 4 and 5, the Denver Nuggets responded Thursday night with a composed, complete effort in Game 6, defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder 119–107 at Ball Arena. The win evens the Western Conference Semifinals at 3–3 and sends the series back to Oklahoma City for a winner-take-all Game 7 on Sunday.

This time, Denver didn’t flinch late.

Trailing 3–2 in the series and facing elimination, the Nuggets entered the fourth quarter with a 90–82 lead and never let it slip. After collapsing in the final frame of their last two games—squandering fourth-quarter leads of 8+ points—Denver held firm thanks to balanced scoring, timely bench production, and smart coaching adjustments.

“That’s the moment that you dream of when you was a little kid,” said Julian Strawther, who gave the Nuggets a massive lift off the bench.
“Come into the game, having all the guys believe in you and find you in your spots and just being able to make an impact.”

Murray Plays Through Illness, Sets the Tone

Hours before tipoff, Jamal Murray was listed as questionable due to an undisclosed illness. By the time the game started, he was locked in.

Murray scored 11 first-quarter points—including a four-point play to open Denver’s scoring—and finished with 25 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists despite the health scare.

“I woke up feeling it,” Murray said postgame.
“Went to the clinic, got tested for a couple different things, was negative. Happy about that. But I was always gonna play in my mind.”

Though he cooled in the second quarter, Murray caught fire again in the third, helping lead a 32–21 run that gave Denver control.

“That’s Jamal Murray,” interim coach David Adelman said.
“It’s almost like the worse it is, the better off it’s gonna be. What a tough-minded man.”

A Different Approach to the Fourth Quarter

Adelman made a calculated gamble to start the fourth quarter without Nikola Jokić on the floor. Unlike Game 5, where Jokić played the full final frame, this time the MVP sat the first four minutes—and Denver extended its lead.

“The beautiful thing was I had four timeouts again,” Adelman explained.
“Those guys held water to start that quarter.”

When Jokić returned at the 7:53 mark, the lead had grown to 97–86, and the Thunder never seriously threatened again.

Jokić finished with 29 points, 14 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals and a block on 9-of-14 shooting. Yet it was the contributions around him that made the difference.

“He was amazing,” Jokić said of Strawther.
“He had big points, big moments in the game. … It was a great game for him.”

Strawther’s Breakout Performance

Julian Strawther came into the night averaging just 2.4 points per game in limited postseason action. He finished Game 6 with 15 points, including 3-of-4 from beyond the arc. His two threes late in the third quarter sparked a crucial 12–4 run that gave the Nuggets breathing room.

“Julian’s gonna get credit for scoring 15 points,” said Adelman.
“I thought he held water defensively, too. That was a big deal.”

Strawther also logged 10 minutes in the fourth quarter, providing defensive energy and spacing the floor—exactly what Denver has been missing from its second unit.

Balanced Effort and Key Stats

Denver’s Game 6 success came from a full team effort:

• Christian Braun had his best playoff performance of the year with 23 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 assists.
• Michael Porter Jr., coming off a tough Game 5, added 10 efficient points and hit 2 threes.
• Aaron Gordon, the lone starter not in double figures, left the game late with what appeared to be a left hamstring injury. He said afterward that he feels “OK” and has already begun recovery for Game 7.

“I feel OK. We’ll see,” Gordon said.
“I’m gonna start the recovery process now and make sure I’m getting ready for Game 7.”

The Nuggets outrebounded the Thunder 52–40 and shot 37.5% from deep (12-of-32), a critical improvement from their late-game shooting woes in previous matchups. The Thunder, meanwhile, shot just 27.5% from three (11-of-40) and got little support beyond Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 32 points.

Game 7 Looms

Sunday’s Game 7 in Oklahoma City (3:30 p.m. ET) will be Denver’s third consecutive seven-game series dating back to their first-round win over the Clippers.

This will be the first road Game 7 for the Murray-Jokić era, but they’ve thrived in these moments before, winning four of their last six.

“I think CB played really good. Jamal played really good. Our defense was really good, I think,” Jokić said.
“I think that’s why we won the game.”

With momentum back on their side, the Nuggets are now one win away from returning to the Western Conference Finals.