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.

See our top photos from Game 5 of the NBA Playoffs between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets at Paycom Center.

An ugly win might be exactly what the Thunder needed. OKC beat Denver 92-87 in a grind-it-out Game 4 Sunday afternoon at Ball Arena to tie the Western Conference semifinal series 2-2.