Thunder’s ‘foul up 3’ strategy backfired in epic fashion vs. Nuggets in NBA Playoffs

The Oklahoma City Thunder had the best defense in the NBA this season, but if the game was close late, the Thunder consistently opted not to trust it. Under head coach Mark Daigneault, OKC likes to foul when up three, refusing to yield a game-tying attempt to their opponent while betting on their free throw shooting to get them across the finish line.

The Thunder again found themselves in a situation where they were fouling up three in the final seconds in Game 1 against the Denver Nuggets in the second round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs. This time, it backfired, and resulted in a stunning collapse to let Denver steal the first game of the series.

The Thunder went up three with 11 seconds left when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sprinted to the basket for an easy dunk off sideline out of bounds play. The Nuggets had taken Nikola Jokic out of the game for that defensive possession, and Gilgeous-Alexander’s quick bucket should have meant Jokic remained on the sideline as play continued.

Instead, the Thunder fouled immediately, with Alex Caruso wrapping up Aaron Gordon. Gordon stepped to the line and made two free throws to make it a one-point game. In between, Jokic re-entered the game.

The Nuggets fouled immediately on the inbounds, sending Chet Holmgren to the line. The Thunder’s young big man is a 78 percent career free throw shooter, but he choked in the biggest spot of his life. Holmgren missed both his free throws, the Nuggets grabbed the rebound, and then Aaron Gordon delivered his second iconic shot of this postseason:

The Nuggets beat the Thunder, 121-119, to steal Game 1 in the best-of-7 matchup in the Western Conference semifinals. The Nuggets deserve all the credit for their incredibly gutsy comeback, but it was only made possible by OKC’s foolish intentional fouling.

The Thunder should have at minimum let Denver drain some time off the clock by advancing the ball past halfcourt. Daigneault also could have just trusted his defense to prevent a good look from three, especially with Jokic waiting on the sideline trying to sub in.

After the game, Daigneault took the blame for the strategy backfiring.

This was an incredible playoff game between a former champion looking for another shot at glory and a young, upstart power trying to prove their time is now. For the Nuggets to pull off a win like this after enduring a brutal seven-game series victory against the Clippers that ended only two nights earlier is an incredible display of toughness. Oklahoma City has a massive rest advantage in this series, and are just flat-out the better team after posting 68 wins and one of the best net-ratings ever. Somehow, Denver dug deep to pull one out.

Gordon’s game-winner was only possible because of a virtuoso performance from Nikola Jokic. Jokic finished with 42 points, 22 rebounds, and six assists on 15-of-29 shooting from the floor. Jokic’s ice cold three-pointer with just over a minute left to make it a one-point game stands out as a display of his greatness.

The Nuggets trailed by 11 points with 4:30 left. That’s when Denver started walking down the mighty Thunder, using smart foul-baiting techniques to get into the bonus and convert clutch free throws. Jokic painted a masterpiece, Gordon delivered a shot for the ages, but the entire team stepped up to make this win possible.

The Thunder have to be kicking themselves for letting a sure win fall through the hands. Their decision to foul up three seemed shocking in real time, and the worst case scenario played out:

The Thunder’s strategy could have worked if Holmgren just made his free throws. It also stopped the clock, gave Denver two more possessions, and helped them pull off a a thrilling comeback that showcased their championship heart. We’ll see if OKC changes their approach should they find themselves in the same situation again during these playoffs.