Ooff! With a comeback for the books, the Denver Nuggets have again pushed their way to a 7-game series. Avoiding elimination, this marks the Nuggets’ seventh time in Game 7. By comparison, the OKC Thunder find themselves in unknown territory. Coach Adelman said post-game, “I know I’ve got a group of guys that have been in a lot of Game 7s, seen a lot of things, so we’re excited for the opportunity”.

Though the Nuggets now seem confident, the fans would have almost missed Jamal Murray’s wonderful game, as he was listed as questionable even right before the game. Without his 11 points in the first quarter igniting a fire in the rest of the team, we can only assume what the game could have looked like. It even shocked the Denver coach as he said, “I kind of was watching the first six minutes like is this real, can he do it?”

While Murray definitely initiated the Nuggets’ second coming, he did not win the game alone. Leading the bench was Strawther, as he gave the Nuggets an 88-80 lead with a 3-pointer at only 36.1 seconds left. Likewise, Christian Braun and Michael Porter Jr., who was limited by a shoulder injury, played exceptionally with 23 points and 10 points each. Aaron Gordon was the one of the only three players who failed to get to the double-digit mark. Furthermore, he also injured his left hamstring in the last 2 minutes of the game. Gordon seemed to be confident of his return, “I’m gonna start the recovery process now and make sure I’m getting ready for Game 7. Not entirely sure what happened.” His absence would be a critical blow to the Nuggets. He was instrumental to Denver’s 2023 NBA Championship win. Hence the Nuggets Nation is eagerly looking forward to the injury reports.

So, without further ado, let’s get to the injury reports. According to Denver Nuggets Injury Status – ESPN, Hunter Tyson and DaRon Holmes II are both still out. And while Aaron Gordon’s status remains day-to-day, Porter Jr., Strawther, Jokic, CB, and Murray will all return to court today. And with that settled, the question remains: Will the Nuggets be able to make it to the Western Conference final? Let’s find out!

Will the Nuggets make it through Game 7?

Though the Thunder are all set to return with a fit roster, the Nuggets currently have a four-game win record out of their past six Game 7s. This surely gives them an edge over their returning opponents today. And after a grueling back-and-forth, today’s game is the most crucial one for both teams.

Adelman said, “It’s going to be really nice. It’s nice to have two days to get guys right going into a Sunday matinee. Concern for Aaron is so high. He’s played through a lot through this whole season, so we’ll see where he’s at.” Learning from the disappointing Game 4, Denver lost to the Thunder 92-87. Undoubtedly, the two-day gap is essential for them to recover from exhaustion.

So, six long games later, it all comes down to this. As per Game 6, Adelman finally seems to have it figured out. Though he played Jokic the whole of the fourth quarter, he trusted his bench to balance out the rest of the game. Maybe Game 5’s loss struck a chord for Denver’s coach. With the MVP candidates Jokic and SGA returning, Game 7 is set to be monumental. Well sooner than later we will find out.