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.

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.

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.

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

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:

The Nuggets did their best to push the Thunder in Game 7, but their loss highlights issues around Nikola Jokić

The only upside is that the Thunder stayed home after their Game 7 win. They'll host three consecutive playoff games and spend most of the week in their beds. 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.