Reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander returned on Saturday to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 127-121 overtime victory over the Denver Nuggets in a potential NBA Western Conference Finals preview.
Gilgeous-Alexander scored his first basket two minutes into the game, but the Nuggets roared to an early 33-19 advantage. The Thunder played catchup from that point on, eventually taking an 86-85 lead early in the fourth to set the stage for a frantic finish in regulation, where both teams ended up tied at 107.
The Thunder, though, scored the first five points of extra time and fended off three straight triples by Jamal Murray in the endgame to record the win.
SGA paced OKC with 36 points on top of 9 assists, while Chet Holmgren put up 15 points, 21 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Four more Thunder players finished in double figures. Murray led all scorers with 39, but his three triples at the end of OT proved a little too late. Three-time MVP Nikola Jokic added 23 points, 17 rebounds, and 14 assists.
Physicality Marks Thunder Win Over Nuggets
The Thunder-Nuggets matchup on Saturday was highly physical, with plenty of jawing, pushing, and shoving.
In fact, early on, Gilgeous-Alexander was assessed a technical for throwing the ball at Jokic, who appeared to make contact with the reigning MVP after the whistle. Later, in the fourth quarter, Lu Dort was thrown out after tripping Jokic in the backcourt, leading to a brief fracas that saw the Serbian big having to be restrained from going after Jaylin Williams.
The physicality, though, is to be expected. OKC and Denver met in the Western Conference semis last season, with the Thunder surviving the Nuggets in seven tough games en route to the franchise’s first title. The two teams will meet twice more.
In the meantime, the Thunder spring back to action on Tuesday against the Dallas Mavericks. The Nuggets will try to bounce back on the same day against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
