The opening three games of the Western Conference semifinals matchup between the Thunder and Nuggets featured plenty of offensive fireworks. A glance at the two rosters quickly reveals why — Oklahoma City and Denver carry a host of All-Star level talent, from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic to Jamal Murray, Jalen Willams and Chet Holmgren.
The scoring output for both sides has been prolific. The Thunder posted tallies of 119, 149 and 104 points in their opening three duels, while the Nuggets averaged 112.7 points across that same spell.
Yet in Game 4, the well ran dry – at least in the match’s opening paces. Oklahoma City and Denver found baskets hard to come by at different points in Sunday’s contest. The proof was scrawled around the scoreboard, left weary amid a torrent of missed shots.
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Here’s what you need to know.
Thunder-Nuggets final stats
| Thunder | Nuggets | |
| Points | 92 | 87 |
| FG% | 35.6% (31-of-87) | 31.3% (25-of-80) |
| 3PT% | 24.4% (10-of-41) | 24.4% (11-of-45) |
| FT% | 76.9% (20-of-26) | 72.2% (26-of-36) |
| Rebounds | 55 | 49 |
| Assists | 20 | 17 |
| Steals | 9 | 9 |
| Blocks | 2 | 3 |
| Turnovers | 14 | 14 |
| Largest lead | 15 | 8 |
Those invigorated by offensive firepower might do well to look away. The Thunder and Nuggets might have plenty of might in their arsenal. But they didn’t show it across she first 12 minutes of Sunday’s game.
Neither Oklahoma City nor Denver could produce consistent offense in the match’s early moments, with the Nuggets hitting just two shots in the first. The Thunder weren’t much better, although a brief Gilgeous-Alexander flurry to start did put Oklahoma City in slightly more favorable position come the end of the frame. The score sheet reflected the dour nature of the affair, with Mark Daigneault’s side striding the bench with a 17-8 advantage when the buzzer sounded.
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) May 11, 2025
Scoring picked up in the second period, with both sides coming to grips with the physicality and guile required to score in the postseason. Still, the halftime score wasn’t a particularly lively one — the Thunder led 42-36 through 24 minutes.
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Lowest-scoring quarters in NBA playoff history
The Nuggets took their place in NBA history with their first-quarter display — albeit for unsavory reasons. Denver tallied just eight points in the first, the joint-sixth-lowest-scoring quarter in a playoff game since the NBA transitioned to a shot clock in 1954.
With their mark, they tied the Mavericks, who authored up an eight-point display in the second quarter of their match with the Clippers last playoffs. They fell three points short of the Trail Blazers, who notched five points in the fourth quarter of Game 1 of their 1999 Western Conference semifinals clash.
Here’s a look at some of the other surly showings that have erupted over the course of postseason play.
| Rank | Team | Opponent | Year | Points |
| 1. | Trail Blazers | Jazz | 1999 | 5 |
| 2. | Nets | Cavaliers | 2007 | 6 |
| Lakers | Nationals | 1954 | 6 | |
| Hawks | Celtics | 1986 | 6 | |
| 5, | Celtics | Hawks | 2016 | 7 |
| 6. | Nuggets | Thunder | 2025 | 8 |
| Mavericks | Clippers | 2024 | 8 |
Lowest-scoring games in NBA playoff history
While Denver’s first-quarter futility was certainly eye-catching, it found its footing as the game wore on. The same can’t be said for the 1998 Jazz, who posted the single worst-scoring performance in postseason history against the Bulls, scoring just 54 points.
Utah and New Jersey are the only teams to fall short of the 60-point plateau in a playoff game since the introduction of the shot clock.
Here’s some other notable scoring displays — or lack thereof — during the NBA playoffs:
| Rank | Team | Opponent | Year | Points |
| 1. | Jazz | Bulls | 1998 | 54 |
| 2. | Nets | Pistons | 2004 | 56 |
| 3. | Cavaliers | Pistons | 2006 | 61 |
| 4. | Wizards | Pacers | 2014 | 63 |
| Hornets (Pelicans) | Nuggets | 2009 | 63 | |
| Hornets (Pelicans) | Heat | 2004 | 63 | |
| Raptors | Pistons | 2002 | 63 | |
| Trail Blazers | Spurs | 1999 | 63 | |
| Hawks | Pistons | 1999 | 63 |
