Thunder Beat Nuggets 96-84 as SGA’s 20-Point Streak Ends
The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Denver Nuggets 96-84 on Thursday night at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, forcing 22 turnovers to win their home opener. Jalen Williams scored a game-high 21 points and Chet Holmgren added 12 points, 17 rebounds and four blocks for the Thunder, who improved to 2-0 on the season while Denver fell to 0-1.
In a surprising twist, two-time reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander failed to score 20 points for the first time in 142 games — the longest such streak in NBA history. He finished with 17 points on 6-of-19 shooting, missing all seven shots he took in the first 24 minutes.
Defence Decides an Ugly Night
Neither team shot well: Oklahoma City shot 37.9 percent, barely better than Denver’s 37.8. The Nuggets led 37-28 midway through the second quarter, their biggest lead of the night at nine points. The game turned in the third quarter, when the Thunder outscored Denver 26-16 and never trailed again after halftime.
A layup by Ajay Mitchell gave Oklahoma City a 64-62 lead, and the margin reached 17 when Gilgeous-Alexander hit a 27-foot three-pointer with 1:44 left. Mitchell finished with 12 points and five steals off the bench.
Jokic and Murray Struggle
Denver’s stars had a miserable night against the Thunder’s hounding defence. Nikola Jokic scored just 13 points on 5-of-19 shooting with 7 rebounds and 5 assists, and the Nuggets were outscored by 20 points with him on the floor. Jamal Murray managed only 6 points on 2-of-11 shooting and committed six turnovers.
Aaron Gordon led Denver with 20 points on 6-of-9 shooting, but it was not enough. Turnovers decided the game: Denver gave the ball away 22 times to Oklahoma City’s 12, and the Nuggets’ 19 offensive rebounds did not turn into enough points.
Charles Barkley praised the Thunder’s depth after the game, calling them “relentless and deep” and warning opponents: “You are going to have to raise your level.”
Up next: Denver hosts New Orleans on Saturday night, while Oklahoma City hosts the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday.
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