Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Thunder roll into West finals with 125-93 rout of Nuggets in Game 7

OKLAHOMA CITY AP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored points Jalen Williams added and the Oklahoma City Thunder rolled into the Western Conference finals beating the Denver Nuggets - in Encounter on Sunday The top-seeded Thunder will host the sixth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves starting Tuesday It s Oklahoma City s first trip to the conference finals since Oklahoma City won a league-best games in the regular season The Thunder lost to Dallas in the conference semifinals last year as the No seed in the West This time the Thunder had to get past three-time MVP Nikola Jokic and a Denver squad that won the NBA title in and beat the Los Angeles Clippers in seven games in the first round this year Jokic had points nine rebounds and seven assists for the Nuggets on Sunday Aaron Gordon a key competitor for Denver throughout the playoffs who hit the winner in Encounter against the Thunder started despite a strained left hamstring He had eight points and rebounds in minutes The Thunder fell behind by in the first quarter but took the lead early in the second Oklahoma City outscored Denver - in the second period to take a - lead at the break Gordon was called for a flagrant- foul for elbowing Gilgeous-Alexander in the face early in the third quarter Gilgeous-Alexander made both free throws and then Williams hit a short jumper to give Oklahoma City a - lead Cason Wallace got loose on a fast break and dunked on Jokic to put the Thunder up - sparking delirious roars from the crowd Oklahoma City led - at the end of the third quarter AP NBA https apnews com hub NBA Source