Thunder thrash Nuggets to set up NBA Western Conference Finals clash with Timberwolves

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 35 points as the Oklahoma City Thunder thrashed the Denver Nuggets 125-93 at home to win their second round series 4-3 and advance to the NBA Western Conference finals on Sunday.

After a back-and-forth matchup with little difference between the two teams, the top-seeded Thunder asserted their dominance in a one-sided Game Seven to close out the series.

The win sends Oklahoma City into a showdown with Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves for a place in next month's NBA Finals, with Game One set for Tuesday.

"It feels good," Gilgeous-Alexander said after the win. "Obviously our ultimate goal isn't just the Western Conference finals – but we've got to go through there to get there. We put it together tonight, and now we've got four games to go get against a really good team in the Timberwolves, and that's what we're focused on."

Gilgeous-Alexander, who is vying with Denver's Nikola Jokic for the NBA's Most Valuable Player award, was backed up by a 24-point performance from Jalen Williams.

Jokic led the Nuggets with 20 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists, while Christian Braun added 19 and Jamal Murray 13.

Denver was left counting the cost of an error-strewn performance, however, after coughing up 23 turnovers that the Thunder's livewire offense ruthlessly converted into 37 points.

"The turnovers were a huge issue in this game obviously," Nuggets interim coach David Adelman said afterwards. "Sometimes turnovers as a number don't matter. But 16 steals off live ball turnovers – that's 37 points off your mistakes. You're not going to win a playoff game like that."