Jalen Williams hit 24 points for the Thunder, who have never won the NBA title
Oklahoma City Thunder crushed the Denver Nuggets 125-93 in the decisive game of their play-off semi-finals to book a showdown with the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference finals.
A Nuggets win on Thursday night took the series to a seventh game, but Denver were swept away in their seventh meeting.
MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shone for the Thunder, scoring 35 points as the West’s top seeds reached the Conference finals for the first time since 2016.
Denver have played more game sevens over the last seven years than any team, but are now 4-3 in decisive matches after the loss in Oklahoma.
Their three-time MVP Nikola Jokic scored 20 points, but was kept largely quiet as the hosts took a 60-46 lead at the break.
And they extended that lead as the night wore on, with a 24-point contribution from Jalen Williams, to the delight of the home crowd.
With the Indiana Pacers playing the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals, there could be a new name on the NBA trophy for the first time in at least 52 years.
The Knicks were last champions in 1973, while Oklahoma, Indiana and Minnesota have never won.
The Conference finals begin on Wednesday, 21 May, with the Thunder hosting the Timberwolves (02:30 BST).
