Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is all smiles after Game 3 loss to Nuggets

DENVER — Moments after losing Game 3 in a 113-104 overtime loss to the Denver Nuggets, Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander smiled from ear-to-ear while walking off the floor facing a 2-1 deficit in his second-round series. After Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault cited familiarity in defending Nikola Jokic, his supporting cast of Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, and Michael Porter Jr. overshadowed Jokic’s dud of a performance.

However, that’s not what put a smile on Gilgeous-Alexander’s face as he revealed during his postgame media availability. Instead, it was a group of Nuggets fans, taunting the MVP candidate. Gilgeous-Alexander revealed the fans’ taunting made him smile.

“Some fans were taunting me and I know how the game goes. I know how life it. It’s easy to taunt when you’re up and I don’t ever want to show them that I’m defeated or mad, or anything like that. Nothing’s written. The series is not over and we have a lot to be optimistic about. I didn’t perform the way I did down the stretch, but I have an opportunity the next game, and the game after that to make up for it, and I’m optimistic about it.”