In the Battle of Tianwang Mountain, the Nuggets lost 7 points, where is the loss? Three major defeats were exposed, and two "sinners" were found

In the fierce battle of the NBA playoffs, the G5 Tianwangshan battle in the Western Conference Semi-Finals on May 14, 2025 will undoubtedly attract much attention. The Nuggets and the Thunder meet on a narrow road, and the outcome of this game is crucial to both sides. However, in the end, the Nuggets lost to the Thunder 105-112, falling behind 2-3 with a big score, and the series was in a desperate situation, which surprised countless fans. , a detailed analysis, why did the Nuggets lose this game? Many failures have been exposed.

Failure 1: The Nuggets lost, insufficient substitute depth is the primary issue. There were only 8 players in the whole game, and the main players were over-consuming. Jokic played for 44 minutes and Murray also played for 41 minutes. By the end of the quarter, his physical fitness was severely overdrawn and his offensive and defensive efficiency plummeted. The bench was even more embarrassing and contributed only 10 points, of which Westbrook made 1 of 7 shots and scored only 4 points. In contrast, the Thunder, 10 players rotated, substitutes scored 35 points, and surprises such as Caruso and Dortmund made consecutive three-pointers in the final quarter, becoming the key to the reversal.

Failure 2: The continued sluggish three-pointers are also a major problem for the Nuggets. He made 13 of 46 three-pointers, with a shooting percentage of only 28.3%, and 2 of 12 shots in the final quarter. Porter made 0 of 5 three-pointers and scored only 2 points in the game, becoming an offensive black hole. His outside shooting percentage has been only 26% so far in the series. Murray made consecutive shots in key balls, while Dortmund's Thunder scored three-pointers in a row in the final quarter, directly leveling the gap and securing the victory.

Failure 3: Jokic was consumed in a targeted manner, paralyzing the Nuggets team's offense. Jokic scored 44 points, 15 rebounds and 5 assists in the whole game. The data seemed gorgeous, but the Thunder limited his passes through pinch and switched defenses, and he only sent 5 assists. By the end of the quarter, Jokic's efficiency, which was exhausted, declined. The Nuggets only had 20 assists in the game, and their offense was overly dependent on singles and lacked effective support. After this defeat, who is the biggest sinner has caused controversy. Westbrook scored 4 points in 1 of 7 shots in the game, made a blacksmith in the critical round and lost defense, and the bench made no contribution. Michael Porter Jr. made 0 of 5 three-pointers, scoring only 2 points in the game, and has been targeted repeatedly on the defensive end. These two people can be called the two "sinners" of the team's defeat. On the contrary, the Thunder's victory is due to the depth of the lineup, youthful vitality, and targeted defense. The 10-man rotation gave them the advantage in physical fitness, and Alexander scored 31 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists to revitalize the entire team. In defense, the Thunder attack consumes Jokic and limits the Nuggets' outside shooting, increasing the defensive intensity in the last quarter directly reverses the situation. The Nuggets' failure this time exposed many problems. If the problems of substitute weakness, external failure and physical overdraft cannot be solved in the next G6 away game, it is almost impossible to reverse and advance. But the basketball game is full of variables. I believe that the Nuggets will make timely adjustments and fight back in the subsequent games to bring fans a wonderful Jedi counterattack.