The Denver Nuggets came into Game Six with their proverbial backs against the wall. Things especially seemed dire after Jamal Murray popped up on the injury report with a mysterious illness. What many did not expect was the jolt former Gonzaga Bulldog, Julian Strawther, gave the Nuggets’ second unit. Denver started off hot as Murray did his best “Jordan flu game,” impression and scored the first three points of the contest for Denver on a three-point shot where he was fouled. After that, the Nuggets seized the momentum.
However, the Oklahoma City Thunder eventually proved why they were the top seed in the NBA this season and stormed right back. At half, the Thunder led 61-58. However, Denver’s second unit, which has been a point of contention all series long, helped turn the tide for once. The main source of this new-found production was Julian Strawther. Until this series, Strawther had more or less fallen out of the rotation. However, interim coach, David Adelman has been forced to get creative. This has opened up new opportunities for the young wing. As a result, the Nuggets forced Game Seven and will now play the Thunder on Sunday afternoon in what could be the game of the year. Denver won Game Six by a final score of 119-107.
Julian Strawther Bolsters Denver’s Bench as Nuggets Force Game Seven Against the Thunder
A Night to Remember for Julian Strawther
Strawther was exactly what the doctor ordered for the Nuggets in Game Six against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Coming off the bench, he produced 15 points in 20 minutes of play. Moreover, the former Gonzaga product also posted three three-point shots made. Something the Thunder could not do as a collective unit all night. As for Julian Strawther, it should also be noted that all of his points were scored in the second half after only attempting one shot in the first half. Needless to say, he stepped up in a huge way in Game Six.
Other Notable Performers
Despite battling illness, Jamal Murray showed a lot of guts in Game Six. He finished the night with 25 points, a team-best box plus/minus of +28, and seven assists. Superstar, Nikola Jokić, also played at his usual MVP level. The Serbian big man recorded 29 points, 14 rebounds, and eight assists. Finally, one cannot talk about Game Six without mentioning Christian Braun’s impact. He logged 23 key points, shot 50.0 percent from three-point range, and also had three steals. All in all, it was a great team effort from the Denver Nuggets. However, the man of the night was none other than Julian Strawther for his spark off the bench.
