Julian Stroser blows sparks off the bench and loses his teeth. The Nuggets force Game 7 against the Thunder.
Now this was finally a role that Julian Strausser could sink his teeth, even at the expense of his teeth.
The Denver Nuggets Guard, who played a meaningful long time for the series for the first time, sparked off the bench as he scored all 15 points in the second half on Thursday night. His big game helped force Denver to force Game 7 on Sunday in Oklahoma City with a 119-107 victory over Thunder.
“It’s the moment you dream of when you’re a little kid. You can just come to the game and all of you believe in you, find you in your spot and influence the game,” said Strawther, a second-year player at Gonzaga.
Strawther certainly left it all on the floor. This includes teeth (prosthetics) that happened to pop out in the fourth quarter when contacted by an Oklahoma City player. He tried to stop playing long enough to collect it. But the action was already heading in the opposite direction.
The ball scoops it up for him with a towel and put it back on the bench. By the time Strawther addressed the media following the game, he had reverted it.
He explained that after losing a baby’s teeth as a child, the adult version on the right side next to his front teeth never grew.
“We’ve got it back,” Strawther said.
That way, the nugget returns to OKC. It was their only mission after missing a fourth quarter lead and losing there in Game 5.
The Nuggets bench had a major impact behind the plays of Strawther, Russell Westbrook (8 points) and Peyton Watson (4).
Certainly, the lightning reserve surpassed 32-27. However, before Thursday, the bench average production was 34-22 in favor of lightning in five games.
“(Julian) was amazing,” Nikola Djokic said. “He had a big point, a big moment in the game.”
Strawther finished three out of four from the 3-point range and four out of four from the line. Above all, he helped the Nuggets maintain momentum in the fourth quarter as Jokic sat on the bench to get valuable rest. Strawther played 19 1/2 minutes and his playoffs were high.
This did not play after being limited to 14 minutes in the last three games in Game 3, including “DNP.”
He asked.
“I understand that there are nights where I might not check in at all,” Strawther explained. “And there is a night like tonight when he rides with me.
“Me and (Adelman) have been a transparent relationship throughout these playoffs and I’m really grateful that you threw me there tonight.”
His role may increase further in response to Aaron Gordon’s status, who injured the left hamstring late in the game.
“I feel it’s okay. I know,” Gordon said after the match. “We’ll start the recovery process now to make sure we’re ready for Game 7.”
Another player who found the groove launched ahead of Michael Porter Jr., who was four out of nine with 10 points. He handles the sprain on his left shoulder.
“For me, there are many things I have to be on top of that, with what I’ve been going on,” Porter explained. “I can’t do anything like what I want to do because I hurt my shoulder… I’m not as comfortable and confident in my shot as I want to feel through these playoffs.
“But I’m still there, but I’m still trying to film with the floor as space.