Sunday afternoon features a crucial Game 7 matchup between the Denver Nuggets and Oklahoma City Thunder, with a coveted spot in the 2025 Western Conference Finals at stake. The top-seeded Thunder face potential elimination for the first time this postseason, following a loss in Game 6 held in Denver on Thursday night. Meanwhile, the Nuggets are playing in their second Game 7 of the 2025 playoffs, having already survived a winner-take-all contest against the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round. Denver expects Aaron Gordon to play on Sunday, despite suffering a hamstring strain in the previous game.
The Minnesota Timberwolves await the winner of Sunday`s game in the Western Conference Finals, which are scheduled to begin on Tuesday night.
OKC has not advanced to the WCF since 2016, yet they have been widely regarded as the team to beat in the West throughout this season. Spearheaded by MVP frontrunner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder are favored to win Game 7 and are currently listed as favorites to claim the 2025 NBA Finals title (+110 odds on FanDuel). Gilgeous-Alexander has led the Thunder with an average of 28.8 points per game in this series, supported by five different Thunder players scoring in double figures.
Nikola Jokić is striving to propel Denver back to the West finals for the second time in three years. Jokić currently leads all players in the 2025 NBA playoffs across the three major offensive statistics, accumulating 347 points, 169 rebounds, and 105 assists through 13 games.
Thunder vs. Nuggets: Game 7 Info
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Date: Sunday, May 18
Location: Paycom Center — Oklahoma City
TV Channel: ABC
Live Stream: fubo (Subscription required, often with free trial)
Odds (via FanDuel): Thunder -8.5, Total Over/Under 214
Thunder vs. Nuggets: Game 7 Best Bet
The projected point total for this Game 7 appears notably high. Historically, out of 25 Game 7s played since 2018, 20 have concluded with a total score under 214 points. This indicates a significant tendency for these decisive games to finish below this mark. Furthermore, Aaron Gordon`s health is questionable, suggesting one of Denver`s key players may be limited. His minutes could potentially go to Peyton Watson, a player known more for defense than three-point shooting. Most Game 7s are closely contested and defensively focused, and this matchup is expected to follow that pattern.
The Pick: Under 214 total points.
Jasper Hawthorne