Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 34 points in three quarters, and the Oklahoma City Thunder set league and team records in a 149-106 win over the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night that tied the Western Conference semifinal series at one game apiece.
Oklahoma City set an NBA playoff record for first-half points with 87, surpassing the 86 scored by the Cleveland Cavaliers against the Golden State Warriors in Game 4 of the NBA Finals on June 9, 2017. Chet Holmgren, who missed two critical free throws late in Game 1, made a pair with one second remaining in the second quarter to set the record and give the Thunder an 87-56 lead.
The Thunder tied the record for points in any half of a playoff game. Milwaukee had 87 in the second half against Denver on April 23, 1978.
Oklahoma City became the first home team to win a game in the second round. Game 3 is Friday in Denver.
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Gilgeous-Alexander made 11 of 13 field goals, all 11 of his free throws and had eight assists. He led eight players who scored in double figures.
Russell Westbrook led the Nuggets with 19 points. Nikola Jokic, who had 42 points and 22 rebounds for Denver in a Game 1 win, had just 17 points and eight rebounds on Wednesday before fouling out late in the third quarter.
The crowd cheered for Westbrook, the ex-Thunder star, when he entered Game 1 as a reserve for Denver, but booed him shortly after he entered Game 2. Westbrook got called for a technical foul moments later, and Gilgeous-Alexander made the free throw to make it 34-13.
The Thunder led 45-21 at the end of the first quarter after shooting 71.4% from the field and setting a team record for points in a quarter in a playoff game.
Oklahoma City continued its dominance in the second quarter. A lob from Gilgeous-Alexander to Jalen Williams for a two-handed jam gave the Thunder a 78-43 lead.
Oklahoma City led 124-76 after three quarters. The largest lead was 49 points.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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