Alexander hadn’t scored in the fourth quarter before driving for a layup that gave the Thunder a much-anticipated lead with 3 ½ minutes left. The OKC star poured it on from there as the Thunder rallied for a 112-105 win over Denver in Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals Tuesday night at the Paycom Center.

Jokic said Oklahoma City still played the same kind of defense that bothered him in Games 2 through 4, when he shot just 33% from the field and 18.2% from 3-point range. He again mostly dealt with 7-foot-1 Chet Holmgren, 7-footer Isaiah Hartenstein and the rugged, energetic Jaylin Williams.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 points, and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Denver Nuggets 112-105 on Tuesday night to go up 3-2 in their Western Conference semifinal series. Oklahoma City overcame a 44-point, 15-rebound night from Denver’s Nikola Jokic. The Thunder can clinch the series on Thursday in Denver.

The Nuggets are on the brink of elimination after a 12-point lead in the second half disappeared in Oklahoma City.

Denver was last in the league in 3-point attempts per game during the regular season (31.9), but that number has jumped to 38.5 3PA in the four contests against OKC. In their first-round series versus the LA Clippers, the Nuggets fired up an average of just 29.0 3PA across seven games.

Oklahoma City had its back against the wall on Sunday afternoon, but managed to come away with a win after a solid showing down the stretch.