Did Nuggets record lowest scoring quarter in NBA playoffs? Denver’s brutal collapse vs OKC Thunder in 1st qtr explored
On Sunday, the Denver Nuggets turned in a dismal scoring performance that came close to being the lowest-scoring quarter in NBA playoff history. In the opening quarter of Game 4, which was held on their home floor, the Nuggets coughed up just eight points while the OKC Thunder poured in 17.
In its 92-87 Game 4 loss, Denver ended up making history — the wrong kind, that is.
"INSANE FACT: The Nuggets just scored the 2nd-fewest points in a playoff quarter in NBA history — 8 points," one fan pointed out.
The dubious record of the lowest-scoring quarter in NBA playoff history is held by the 2015-16 Boston Celtics, who put up just seven points in the first quarter of Game 2 in their first-round series against the Atlanta Hawks.
Nevertheless, the Nuggets' offense was an eyesore in the first 12 minutes of Game 4 on Sunday. Of their 20 attempts from the field, they made just two. Both of these were two-point buckets, as Denver's 3-point shooters like Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon went 0-for-13 from beyond the arc.
The only silver lining in terms of Denver's first-quarter scoring attempts was its free-throw shooting, going 4-for-6 from the charity stripe. The Nuggets, however, went into a particularly rough dry spell as the quarter neared its end.
Their last made field goal in the quarter was a Jamal Murray layup with 5:06 left. Then, with just three minutes to go, all of their field goal attempts came from deep, and each of them resulted in a miss.
The Nuggets finished with 31.3% shooting from the field (24.4% from 3-point territory). Certainly, their miserable scoring performance will be on top of their priorities heading into Game 5 on Tuesday.
Denver Nuggets HC on OKC Thunder nearly holding team to lowest-scoring quarter in NBA playoffs: "That was a mentally tough win"
During the postgame media availability, interim Nuggets coach David Adelman recognized the physical and mental effort of the Thunder, who have now tied the series at 2-2.
"Give them credit, man," Adelman said of the Thunder. "That was a mentally tough win. We were all dealing with the same situation, [and] they came out on top."
Though it's highly unlikely that the Nuggets will turn in another eight-point quarter, they'll have to find ways to ensure more efficient production when the series swings back to Oklahoma City in Game 5.