Thunder Defense Shuts Down Nuggets in 96-84 Victory
The Oklahoma City Thunder didn’t need a big night from their superstar to win their home opener.
Jalen Williams scored 21 points, Chet Holmgren added 12 points and 17 rebounds, and the Thunder pulled away late for a 96-84 win over the Denver Nuggets on Thursday, Oct. 22, at Paycom Center. Oklahoma City improved to 2-0, while Denver dropped its season opener.
SGA’s Rare Off Night
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the league’s two-time reigning MVP, struggled from the start. He missed all seven of his shots in the first half, and only a pair of free throws kept him from going scoreless before halftime for the first time since his rookie season in 2019.
He finished with 17 points, which ended his historic streak of 141 straight games with at least 20 points.
How the Thunder Took Over
Denver controlled most of the first half, building a lead of as many as nine points and taking a 48-44 advantage into the break. Oklahoma City’s defense changed the game after halftime.
An Ajay Mitchell layup gave the Thunder a 64-62 lead, their first since the opening minutes, and 3-pointers by Alex Caruso and Gilgeous-Alexander pushed the lead to 70-64 after three quarters. The Thunder kept rolling early in the fourth, completing a 17-4 scoring run to take control.
Mitchell was a big part of the defensive surge, finishing with five steals. Gilgeous-Alexander’s late 3-pointer made it 93-76 with 1:44 left, putting the game away.
A Tough Night for Denver’s Offense
The Nuggets struggled to hold onto the ball, committing 22 turnovers. They also shot just 37.8% from the field and 63.6% from the free-throw line.
Aaron Gordon led Denver with 20 points on 6-of-9 shooting, but Nikola Jokić had a rare quiet night, finishing with 13 points on 5-of-19 shooting to go with seven rebounds and five assists.
Oklahoma City’s defense made the difference, finishing with 12 steals and nine blocks.
Up next, the Nuggets host the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday, while the Thunder host the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday.
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