Nuggets vs Thunder Prediction, Odds & Game Preview 5/15/2025

The Denver Nuggets face elimination at Ball Arena on Thursday night as they host the Oklahoma City Thunder in a must-win Game 6 of their Western Conference semifinal series with OKC leading 3-2.

After dropping consecutive games to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the surging Thunder, the defending champions will lean heavily on Nikola Jokic, who exploded for 44 points in Game 5 but lacked sufficient support down the stretch.

With Denver's season hanging in the balance, this chess match between two evenly matched teams—who've split their nine meetings this season 5-4 in favor of OKC—now shifts back to Colorado where the desperate Nuggets hope to force a decisive Game 7.

Best NBA sportsbook promos

Denver Nuggets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder preview

The defending champion Nuggets find themselves on the ropes as they host the Thunder for Game 6, trailing 3-2 in a Western Conference semifinal series that has showcased the NBA's present versus its future.

Nikola Jokic delivered a monster 44-point performance in Game 5, but Denver still couldn't overcome Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Oklahoma City's balanced attack, with six Thunder players reaching double figures in their 112-105 victory.

Denver's interim coach David Adelman called the Game 5 loss "disappointing" and "heavy," but the Nuggets have reason for optimism at Ball Arena, where they've been formidable as home underdogs with a 10-4 record in such situations dating back to 2022.

The series has become a fascinating chess match, with Oklahoma City's adjustment-countering style helping SGA recover from his Game 3 struggles to post 56 points across the last two contests.

For Denver to force a Game 7, they'll need more offensive support for Jokic and Murray (27 points in Game 5) while cutting down on the turnovers that led to an 18-9 fastbreak point disadvantage last time out.

Betting on the NBA?