OKC Thunder's Battle Plan: Starting Lineup Takes on Denver Nuggets - Game 1 Showdown

The Oklahoma City Thunder are facing off against the Denver Nuggets in the second round of the NBA Playoffs.

This marks the point of truth for the OKC Thunder, who for the second consecutive season managed to win their opening playoff series 4-0.

After an intense seven-game battle with the LA Clippers, the Denver Nuggets are stepping onto the court again. Similar to last year when both teams were eliminated in the second round, this matchup sees them aiming for a spot in the Western Conference Finals. This quest holds particular significance for the Thunder as they haven’t made it this far since 2016.

This competition offers numerous narratives to track. It includes the comeback of Russell Westbrook at the arena where he made his mark. There’s also an intense MVP battle culminating when Nikola Jokic squares off against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on the most significant platform. The seasoned group that previously clinched a championship goes head-to-head with the younger players yet to earn their stripes.

In addition to the narratives and plot lines, several key basketball factors come into play too. The OKC Thunder must attempt to contain Jokic and they have numerous strategies at their disposal. They could opt for a big lineup or go with just one big player, and might also consider revisiting their smaller ball configurations. All these possibilities are open to OKC.

The Nuggets' rotations and starting lineups appear quite fixed, as Denver relies heavily on just seven players for this scenario. In contrast, the Thunder’s deeper roster may provide an edge for Oklahoma City. However, considering how extensively the Nuggets use their key players, Oklahoma City might have to keep up by utilizing their own core effectively. This dynamic between team depths is likely to be a crucial subplot throughout the entirety of the series.

Oklahoma City is gearing up for a crucial Game 1, favored heavily due to their rest advantage and previous successes. Under the guidance of Mark Daignerault, they have maintained an undefeated record at 3-0 in series openers so far.

"We simply aim to showcase our identity and playing style when we step onto the court. We focus on establishing consistent habits and routines. In each Game 1, we examine various approaches. Instead of maintaining an overly tense grip throughout the entire game—by strictly adhering to one strategy—we attempt to explore several options. This allows us to gather different kinds of feedback and place our players in varied scenarios. So far, this method has proven effective," stated Daigneault before the game.

OKC Thunder Starters:

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, G

Lu Dort, G

Jalen Williams, F

Chet Holmgren, F

Isaiah Hartenstein, C

Denver Nuggets Starters:

Jamal Murray, G

Christian Braun, G

Michael Porter Jr., F

Aaron Gordon, F

Nikola Jokic, C

Next, we'll move on to Game 2 of this series. On Wednesday, May 7, the OKC Thunder and Denver Nuggets will face off again at the Paycom Center.

This piece was initially released on www.si.com/nba/thunder as OKC Thunder's Opening Team for Game 1 Against the Denver Nuggets .