After a nervy first quarter, the Thunder dominated the second quarter and never looked back in a 125-93 win over the Nuggets on Sunday afternoon at Paycom Center.

Instant reaction from the Nuggets’ 125-93 loss  to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 7 of their second-round NBA Playoffs series.

Alex Caruso's shutdown defense on Nikola Jokic boosts Oklahoma City Thunder to Game 7 win over Denver Nuggets.

The Oklahoma City Thunder eventually handled the Denver Nuggets in round two of the NBA playoffs, but not without enduring seven exhausting games against the Joker and his supporting cast. Their prize? Advancing to another best-of-seven in the Western conference finals ... for which Game 1 was scheduled roughly 48 hours later.

After Sunday's Game 7, stellar reserve Thunder guard Alex Caruso explained exactly how the Nuggets made the Thunder better over seven games. He said they made Oklahoma City mentally tougher to understand what winning in the postseason takes. In effect, in a matchup of two bona fide championship contenders, iron sharpened iron:

Alex Caruso has been a defensive monster for the title contender all playoffs. Like a baseball closer who gets hot in October, he's been a game-changer after a pedestrian regular season. The Thunder have leaned on Caruso's experience in these playoffs.

The Oklahoma City Thunder secured a statement 125-93 victory over the Denver Nuggets in Game 7 of the Western Conference Semifinals, advancing to face the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Conference Finals. OKC was led by leading MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who finished the night with 35 points on 12-of-19 shooting.

Alex Caruso and Mark Daigneault have an incredible, 9-year-old G League picture together that has now gone viral after the OKC Thunder made the Western Conferen

Caruso stepped up in the Thunder's 125-93 Game 7 win over the Denver Nuggets. He finished with 11 points and three steals, but his one-on-one defense against Nikola Jokic swung the game to the home squad's favor.

After a Game 7 defensive show, Caruso will more than likely see his fair share against Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle.