February 1, Beijing time. The Thunder host the Nuggets, and the Nuggets core Jokic misses the game with back pain. Before the game, the Timberwolves were half a win ahead of the Nuggets and in first place, the Thunder were one win behind the Timberwolves and in third, and the Clippers were two wins behind the Timberwolves and were in fourth. Therefore, if the Thunder win this game, they can surpass the Nuggets and rise to second place in the West.
Due to Jokic's absence in this game, it is even more necessary for Murray of the Nuggets to stand up and carry the team's offensive banner.
At the beginning of the game, Murray took over the Nuggets offense, hitting 3 of his first 4 shots to lead the Nuggets over the Thunder. Alexander scored four straight points, Watson and Pope responded with three-pointers, and the Nuggets extended their lead to 13 points with Reggie Jackson hitting from distance. In the end, the Thunder ended the first quarter with a nine-point deficit of 19-28 behind the Nuggets.
In the second quarter of the game, Reggie Jackson led the Nuggets bench lineup to widen the margin to 12 points. On the Thunder's side, Aaron Wiggins hit two three-pointers in a row to help the Thunder catch up, and the Nuggets did not score for three consecutive minutes, and the Thunder narrowed the gap to four points. Immediately followed by the Nuggets and Thunder's mutual attack, the score went up tightly, and the Nuggets led the Thunder by four points at 51-47 to complete the first half.
Pope hit a three-pointer for the Nuggets to take the first shot of the second half, and Murray scored five straight points to extend the Nuggets' lead to eight points. But then the Thunder returned a wave of 8-0 to tie the score. And under Alexander's leadership, the Thunder overtook the score. Reggie Jackson made a step-back jumper, Braun scored five points in a row, Gordon grabbed a frontcourt dunk and scored points, and the Nuggets regained the lead and stretched the margin to seven points. Holmgren made one of two free throws for a foul, Carson Wallace, Alexander and Holmgren made three-pointers one after another, and the Thunder ended the third quarter with a wave of 10-2, and the Thunder overtook the Nuggets by one point 73-72 into the fourth quarter.
In the fourth quarter, the Nuggets attacked dumbly, and the Thunder exploded 10-0 to extend the difference to 11 points to stop the Nuggets. After the timeout, the Nuggets' scoring drought did not ease, and the Thunder extended their fourth-quarter offensive to a 14-2 lead by 13 points. Fortunately, Porter Jr. hit a three-pointer, Gordon rushed to the basket, and the Nuggets unfolded, narrowing the gap to only 1 point. But at the critical moment, the Nuggets lacked the disadvantages of Mr. Yoo, and a series of mistakes at the critical moment buried the game.
With the end of the game, the top four in the West changed again. Currently, the Timberwolves are first, the Thunder are second, the Clippers are third, and the Nuggets have dropped to fourth.