Nuggets vs. Thunder: Thrilling Finish Shows Western Conference Is Wide Open

Need proof that the Western Conference is wild once again?

I offer you Exhibit A: a thrilling, back-and-fourth affair between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Denver Nuggets on Sunday night, from which Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and company emerged victorious in overtime, 124-118.

Granted, the Thunder, now a best-in-the-West 24-7, came out ahead as expected, but it was the way in which they prevailed—and the Nuggets hung tough—that suggested there's a long way to go before anyone can even begin to pick out a runaway NBA Finals favorite from among the league's more competitive conference.

Like so many teams in the fatigued league, the Nuggets have thrived off their depth, young legs and propensity for up-and-down, fast-break basketball. George Karl's club had seven players score in double figures on Sunday, four of whom came off the bench. All told, Denver's reserves scored a whopping 58 points in a game that see-sawed throughout.

But as good as the Nuggets looked, they clearly lacked a go-to scorer (or two) down the stretch and in overtime, someone who could put the team on his back and carry them to the finish line by taking big shot after big shot.

You know, like, say, Carmelo Anthony.

OKC, on the other hand, showed that it has at least two such players in Durant, who posted a career-high 51 points along with eight rebounds, three assists and four steals, and Westbrook, who poured in 40 points, four rebounds and nine assists of his own. The Thunder also benefited tremendously from the contributions of Serge Ibaka, whose triple-double (14 points, 15 rebounds and 11 blocks) provided OKC with a trifecta of performances never before seen in the NBA.

After those three, though, the contributions of the Thunder's roster were almost negligible. The bench chipped in all of 17 points, 10 of which came from James Harden, who hit just two of his 12 attempts from the field.

That's not to say that OKC necessarily has anything to worry about or that it shouldn't be considered at least a solid bet to come out of the West. The Thunder have the requisite experience to succeed in the playoffs and won't need to worry about depth and breadth on their roster when the games slow down and the benches shorten up.

The fact that the Thunder rely so heavily on perimeter scoring, though, won't help them prevail amidst that reduced tempo.

Then again, neither will the Nuggets' fast-paced style of play and lack of a central, defining threat help them when the going gets tough in the postseason.

Such is the beauty of the Western Conference this season, though. Every team in the mix for the playoffs at present could just as easily reach the brink of the Finals or bow out after a quick first-round series. There's no two-headed monster presiding over the West like there is in the East, where the Miami Heat and the Chicago Bulls currently reign supreme over a field full of up-and-comers, has-beens and never-weres.

Such, ultimately, is the appeal of this lockout-shortened NBA season, in which the condensation of teams' schedules has magnified the impact of each and every injury, streak (hot or cold) and acquisition. The basketball may be sloppy, if not downright unwatchable at times.

However, when it works—when two teams catch each other with fresh(ish) legs and a playoff-like appetite for victory, when parity takes control of the playing field—it's a thing of beauty, something in which any fan of just about any team (save for the Charlotte Bobcats) can take heart.

Need proof? Have a look back at Thunder-Nuggets and you'll see exactly what I mean.

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