Going up short-handed against their division rivals, the latest Thunder vs Nuggets duel turned out to be a candidate for the game of the year. SGA and Nikola Jokic were going at it for the whole game, but the Thunder bench made it even more of a spectacle to watch.
For a few seconds late Monday night, it looked like the NBA had its next real rivalry. Nikola Jokic staggered after catching a wild arm from Lu Dort while fighting through a screen.
OKLAHOMA CITY — For the second time in 10 days, All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat MVP candidate Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets, which led to a parting shot from Jalen Williams.
Heroes run the NBA, but every story also needs a villain. For some franchises, it's a particularly hated opponent, but every now and then, it's one of their own.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had no plan when he caught the ball with 2.7 seconds left Monday night. He just had answers. "No, I had no clue what I was going to do," Gilgeous-Alexander told reporters after the Thunder beat the Denver Nuggets 129-126.
If you think the MVP race needs further discussion, it’s time to slam the door shut on that one. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was meeting the moment in a night where he’s finally tied Wilt Chamberlain for the most consecutive 20-point games at 126.
Basketball has changed so, so much since it was first played in the late 1800s. The NBA has a lot to do with this, and there are even a handful of players who can be credited with influencing significant shifts on their own.
Having already put together a career worthy of legendary status, Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had one of the most memorable games of his career to date on Monday night.
This game had the feel of a playoff matchup from start to finish. The Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets traded runs all night, with neither team able to fully pull away.
The Oklahoma City Thunder clinched their tenth 50-win equivalent season on Saturday in a win over the Golden State Warriors, 104-97. This is the most 50-plus win seasons in the NBA since the 2010 season.
There’s no denying that Oklahoma City is still dealing with lots of injuries this season. Nothing has been easy for the team, and they were finding ways to win without their full lineup.
Guard Ajay Mitchell is officially set to make his return for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Mitchell was tagged in an abdominal strain all the way back on Jan.
The defending champion Thunder will get one of their key reserves back on Monday. Ajay Mitchell will suit up for Oklahoma City’s game against Denver, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon tweets.
Oklahoma City Thunder’s big man: Chet Holmgren’s recent stretch shows why he’s the X-factor. From getting it done in the trenches, in a very physical, playoff-level feel and atmosphere, grabbing a career-high 21 rebounds in an overtime win against the Denver Nuggets on Friday night.
The defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder keep winning. The injury hits keep coming, too. Veteran guard Alex Caruso and center Isaiah Hartenstein were both ruled out during Wednesday’s 103-100 road win over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.