The Oklahoma City Thunder dismantled the Denver Nuggets in Game 7, reaching the West Finals and proving their collective defense is one of a kind.

The Thunder respond in a crucial moment, Jalen Williams bounces back in the nick of time and the Nuggets face clear questions.

Get the best Timberwolves vs. Thunder predictions ahead of Tuesday's Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. Free NBA picks for May 20.

T he Oklahoma City Thunder had the best defense in the NBA this season, but if the game was close late, the Thunder consistently opted not to trust it. Under head coach Mark Daign

The Thunder show poise in crunch time, Lu Dort delivers at both ends and Oklahoma City moves a step closer to the West Finals.

Instead of establishing itself as the superior team — younger and more inexperienced, yes, but more athletic, better on defense and much, much deeper — the Thunder instead ... the foul-up-three strategy. Denver inbounded, and OKC fouled Gordon about ...

The issue most are finding with the strategy was the trigger point of the fouls. Oklahoma City did ... and say the Thunder should've just let its historically great defense get one last stop ...

The Thunder, which had the NBA’s top-rated defense during the regular season, had several things go awry as it attempted to execute the strategy Monday. Of course, Oklahoma City’s harsh punishment for its errors was to lose in regulation on Gordon’s ...