Three Takeaways From Nuggets' Crushing Loss to Thunder

Sunday's matchup was advertised as the NBA's top offense (Denver) against the top defense (Oklahoma City), but the game was ultimately decided by the opposite. The Nuggets' defense did not have many answers for the Thunder's high-powered offense.

Of course, not many teams have been able to figure out how to slow down reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and the Nuggets obviously did not have a solution either. SGA finished the game with 34 points and 13 assists on 11-16 shooting from the field and 11-13 from the free-throw line.

The third quarter was particularly detrimental for the Nuggets, as Gilgeous-Alexander and Cason Wallace each dropped 12 points apiece. As a team, the Thunder knocked down eight of 12 three-point attempts in that period, outscoring the Nuggets 39-30 to extend their lead.

Wallace had an incredible game to help out his superstar teammate, dropping a career-high 27 points, shooting 9-14 from the field and 7-11 from deep. The Thunder continued to exploit the Nuggets' defense, and when these two teams meet again, Denver has to put together a better effort on that end.

Two quiet All-Stars

The Nuggets typically lean on their All-Star duo of Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic, but they were particularly quiet in Sunday's matchup. Of course, Jokic gets some leeway since it is just his second game back after a month-long injury absence, as he still does not seem like his dominant self.

Jokic finished the night with 16 points, seven assists, eight rebounds, and six turnovers on 6-9 shooting from the field in 29 minutes of action. On a minute restriction, Jokic could not truly make his mark on Sunday's game.

Many were hoping Murray would make a statement in his first game after being named an All-Star, but the defending champs did a good job against him. Murray finished with 12 points and 12 assists on 4-16 shooting from the field and 1-8 from three-point range. While he was able to be a distributor as Oklahoma City blitzed him, Murray could not get his shot to fall, ultimately leading to a poor night.

The Peyton Watson show

As Jokic and Murray had timid performances, the Nuggets desperately needed somebody else to step up. Luckily, they have Peyton Watson. The 23-year-old guard has been on the rise over the past month or so, and he put on a show against the Thunder on national TV.

Watson led the Nuggets with 29 points, shooting 11-17 from the field and 5-7 from three-point range. Not only was Watson's shot falling, but he got his highlight of the season with a nasty poster dunk over Thunder center and Defensive Player of the Year frontrunner Chet Holmgren.

Watson has been nothing short of incredible recently, and in a contract year, the young wing is setting himself up for a healthy payday this offseason. If he can continue to shine as he did on Sunday, the Nuggets' title hopes should only get better, and he should be a legitimate game-changer if these two teams meet in the playoffs again this year.

The Nuggets will now head into a three-game Eastern Conference road trip, with their next game being against the top team in the East, the Detroit Pistons.