Nuggets get huge spark off bench from Strawther to force Game 7
DENVER—Now this was finally a role Julian Strawther could sink his teeth into, even if it cost him one.
Playing meaningful extended minutes for the first time in the series, the Nuggets guard provided a spark off the bench as he scored all 15 of his points in the second half on Thursday night. and his big game helped propel Denver to a 119-107 victory over the Thunder and force a Game 7 in Oklahoma City.
“That’s the moment you dream of when you’re a little kid—come to the game, having all the guys believe in you, find you in your spots and be able to just make an impact on the game,” said Strawther, a second-year player out of Gonzaga.
Strawther certainly left it all on the floor, including a tooth (a prosthetic one) that happened to pop out in the fourth quarter when he took contact from an OKC player. He tried to get the officials to stop play long enough to gather it up. But the action was already heading the other way.
A ball boy scooped it up for him in a towel and returned it to the bench. By the time Strawther addressed the media following the game, he had it back in place.
He explained that after he lost a baby tooth as a kid, the adult version—located on the right side next to his front tooth—never grew in.
“We got it back,” Strawther said.
Just like that, the Nuggets are going back to OKC. It was their sole mission after frittering away a fourth-quarter lead and losing there in Game 5.
The Nuggets bench made a big impact behind the play of Strawther, Russell Westbrook (8 points) and Peyton Watson (four).
Sure, the reserves of the Thunder outscored them, 32-27. Before Thursday, though, the average production of the bench was 34-22 through five games in favor of the Thunder.
“(Julian) was amazing,” said Nikola Jokic, who had 29 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists. “He had the big points, the big moments of the game.”
Strawther finished 3-of-4 from three-point range and 4-of-4 from the line. Above all, he helped the Nuggets maintain their momentum in the fourth quarter as Jokic sat on the bench to get some valuable rest. Strawther played 19 1/2 minutes, his playoff high.
This after being limited to 14 minutes combined over the last three games, including a “DNP”—did not play—in Game 3. Interim coach David Adelman told him to stay ready.
