OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma City Thunder is headed back to the Western Conference finals for the first time since 2016, and they left no doubt getting there.

Behind a scorching 35-point performance from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and 24 from Jalen Williams, the top-seeded Thunder dismantled the defending champion Denver Nuggets 125-93 in a decisive Game 7 on Sunday night. The statement win sends Oklahoma City into a high-stakes showdown with the sixth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves, starting Tuesday at home.

This win wasn’t just a step forward, it was a leap into contention. The Thunder, who finished the regular season with an NBA-best 6814 record and became the youngest team in league history to win 60 games, showed they’re more than just an exciting upstart.

It wasn’t easy early on. The Nuggets, led by three-time MVP Nikola Jokic, jumped out to an 11-point lead in the first quarter. But Oklahoma City found its rhythm in the second, outscoring Denver 39-20 to seize control with a 60-46 halftime lead.

From there, the game turned into a Thunder showcase. Gilgeous-Alexander absorbed a flagrant elbow from Aaron Gordon early in the third, calmly sank both free throws, and watched as Williams followed with a jumper. Then came the exclamation point: rookie Cason Wallace soared for a thunderous dunk over Jokic on a breakaway, pushing the lead to 78-57 and sending the crowd into a frenzy.

Jokic finished with 20 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists, but the Nuggets, who survived a grueling sevengame series against the Clippers in round one, looked out of gas. Gordon, playing through a hamstring strain, managed just eight points in 24 minutes.

Now, the Thunder, fueled by youth, swagger, and momentum, set their sights on Minnesota, with a chance to return to the NBA Finals for the first time in over a decade.