Andrew Schlecht

The Thunder are also much better equipped to handle a zone defense, which they weren't.

They did not handle it very well last year.

Also, you think about game one and the miracle it took for the Nuggets to win that game where Aaron Gordon hits that shot in transition off the pass from Russell Westbrook.

Chet missed the free throws.

They get the ball.

I mean, it felt like one of those games.

We've seen these games before where a team has a big enough lead, they play the free throw game, and the team that's in the lead usually wins.

Yep.

And it's like 4% of the time the other team plays the free throw game good enough to win the game.

And the Nuggets did in game one of that series.

And you just wonder, if that shot misses...

And the Thunder win game one, the Thunder win game two.

Then are we talking about a five-game series here?

Are we talking about a six-game series?

But that game changed a lot of things.

And it changed the spirit of the Nuggets.

Because a lot of people forget, and I know people don't like me for hating on Russell Westbrook, but all the Russell Westbrook stuff was about to boil over.

He saved them twice from the team just imploding.

And it was about to hit another level until AG hit that shot.

And it kind of got them a life raft through that series.