In Denver, the Denver Nuggets and Oklahoma City Thunder found themselves struggling to find their rhythm early in Game 4, which unfolded with some of the coldest shooting seen in the NBA playoffs. Perhaps it was the aftermath of an intense overtime game just a day and a half prior or the unusual early start on Sunday. Either way, their performances in the opening quarter were far from stellar.
During the first 12 minutes, the teams barely scraped together 25 points, with the Thunder slightly ahead at 17 and the Nuggets trailing with 8. This matched an uncomfortable milestoneโthe lowest combined scoring in an opening quarter during the shot clock era of an NBA playoff game. The last occurrence of such sparse scoring happened back on April 21, 2002, when Detroit edged out Toronto in a low-scoring showdown. Another similar instance was on May 20, 1999, when Portland and Utah ended the first quarter barely surpassing 25 points.
Coming off a grueling 113-104 overtime victory on Friday night, the Nuggets were certainly feeling the effects. Each starter had slogged through at least 42 minutes of play, while the Thunder also had three key players exceeding 40 minutes on the court in their previous matchup. Such exhaustion appeared evident and carried through not just the opening quarter but the entire game, which the Thunder managed to win 92-87, leveling the second-round series at 2-2. They now look forward to a pivotal Game 5 set for Tuesday in Oklahoma City.
Nuggets interim coach David Adelman noted the toll that the demanding schedule and intense Friday night game had on both teams. โBoth teams were quite tired after the physical and hard-fought battle on Friday night,โ he noted. The mismatch of shots and frequent misses resembled that of a casual pickup game rather than a high-stakes playoff match. The Thunder and Nuggets collectively shot only 18.2% in that first period, with Denver failing to make any of their 14 three-point attempts and the Thunder managing just 1 out of 11.
Even as the game continued, neither team managed to significantly ramp up their scoring, finishing with a combined shooting percentage of 33.5%. This was the worst playoff shooting performance in over two decades, since Detroit and Indianaโs game in May 2004, which concluded at a mere 30.8% accuracy.
Both coaches insisted that the unusually early afternoon start time wouldnโt impact performance negatively. โItโs identical conditions for both teams; thereโs no advantage or disadvantage,โ remarked Thunder coach Mark Daigneault before the match. Despite those assertions, the teams combined for more first-quarter turnovers than baskets, totaling nine over eight successful attempts.
With so many missed opportunities on the court, certain players capitalized on the rebounds. Nikola Jokic captured six in the first quarter, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren grabbed five each. Jokic, aiming to stay positive, remarked on their defensive success amid the struggles, crediting the low point total of the Thunderโs opening quarter to their defensive efforts. Jokic concluded with an impressive stat line; he delivered 27 points, made two three-pointers, completed 11 of 14 free throws, and secured a total of 13 rebounds in the game.
Reflecting on historical comparisons, the only playoff first quarter with fewer total points occurred way back on March 31, 1954, when Syracuse led Minneapolis with a sparse 13-10. Following soon after, the NBA adopted the shot clock, which was formally introduced in the 1954-55 season, fundamentally altering the pace of the game from thereon.