Thunder Ready To Roll And Rumble

Extra rest could be the key to unlock the Nuggets as two well-matched sides clash

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OKLAHOMA - It has been nine days since the Oklahoma City Thunder last played, while the Denver Nuggets are coming off a grueling seven-game series against the Los Angeles Clippers that ended on May 3.

That contrast in schedules may be a factor, as the Thunder and Nuggets meet in Game 1 of their National Basketball Association (NBA) Western Conference semifinals on May 5 (May 6, Singapore time) at Paycom Centre.

Both teams are looking to advance further than they did last season, when both lost in the second round - the Thunder to the Dallas Mavericks and Nuggets to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The series will feature Oklahoma City's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Denver's Nikola Jokic - two of the three finalists for the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, which will be announced during the series.

Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 30.3 points and 6.5 assists per game in four meetings against the Nuggets this season.

While the Thunder swept Memphis in the first round, including winning the opener by 51 points, Gilgeous-Alexander was slow to get going against the Grizzlies.

But, after shooting just 35.3 percent in the first three games of that series, Gilgeous-Alexander rebounded to score 38 on 13-of-24 shooting in the series clincher on April 26.