The Denver Nuggets nearly derailed the title run of the OKC Thunder last season, pushing them to a Game 7 in the Western Conference Semifinals before late-series heroics turned the tide.
This offseason, Denver retooled in a big way, adding true game-changers in Cameron Johnson, Bruce Brown, Jonas Valančiūnas, and Tim Hardaway Jr. to address some of the club's most glaring rotational weaknesses.
That makes this matchup one of the most compelling in the West.
Stylistically, the two teams are perfect foils. Denver thrives on motion and passing, generating offense through cuts, threes, and Nikola Jokić’s playmaking as well as thriving in one-on-one sets.
The Thunder defense is designed to erase those very actions, cutting off easy looks and forcing teams into tough, contested shots. It’s a chess match: Denver moves the ball faster than most defenses can rotate, but OKC rotates faster than most offenses can move the ball.
However, the X-factor, as always, is Jokić.
Nikola Jokic is the biggest threat to the Thunder's repeat bid
The Thunder executed one of the most sophisticated defensive game plans in recent playoff history against the three-time MVP during their second-round clash, leveraging a multi-pronged approach to limit his dominance.
Oklahoma City threw waves of defenders with contrasting skill sets at Jokić, ranging from the 6-foot-5, 185-pound Alex Caruso aggressively fronting him in the post and disrupting his patented handoff actions, to the 7-foot, 250-pound Isaiah Hartenstein banging with him on the block, using his combination of size, strength, and footwork to match physicality.
This strategy forced the Nuggets star into uncharacteristic inefficiency at times, such as his 7-for-22 shooting performance in Game 4.
Of course, containing Jokić over a full seven-game series is easier said than done. His 44-point, 15-rebound explosion in Game 5 served as a stark reminder of his ceiling and ability to will Denver to wins.
If he's operating at his absolute peak, Denver can match the Thunder punch-for-punch, leveraging his playmaking to lead the Nuggets past OKC.
Yet, if the Thunder’s defensive schemes — a blend of timely doubles, physical rim protection, and full-court pressure — can hold him closer to “great” than “historic,” they retain the decisive advantage.
This nuanced battle will likely decide not just the Western Conference but the entire NBA landscape.
Denver’s improved depth makes them a stronger challenger than last year, but Oklahoma City’s combination of youth, switchable defense, and the ascending star power of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander keeps them firmly in control of this burgeoning rivalry, one that is far from finished and could define the league for years to come.