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- The Oklahoma City Thunder opened their basketball season by defeating the Denver Nuggets 96-84 in their home opener, powered by 21 points from Jalen Williams and 12 points...
- Oklahoma City secured the win in a matchup where Shai Gilgeous-Alexander struggled early, missing all seven of his field goal attempts in the first 24 minutes.
- Denver countered with 20 points from Aaron Gordon, while Nikola Jokic and DeMar DeRozan each contributed 13 points in the home team's first game.
The Oklahoma City Thunder opened their basketball season by defeating the Denver Nuggets 96-84 in their home opener, powered by 21 points from Jalen Williams and 12 points with 17 rebounds from Chet Holmgren. The victory arrived despite a shooting slump from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who sank just 6 of 19 shots to finish with 17 points and broke a streak of 141 games scoring at least 20 points.
Jalen Williams leads Oklahoma City past Denver in season opener
Oklahoma City secured the win in a matchup where Shai Gilgeous-Alexander struggled early, missing all seven of his field goal attempts in the first 24 minutes. A pair of first-half free throws kept Gilgeous-Alexander from going scoreless in a half for the first time since his rookie season with the Clippers in 2019. The team overcame a nine-point deficit as the guard eventually found his rhythm, hitting a third-quarter layup to pull the Thunder within two points at 48-46.
Denver countered with 20 points from Aaron Gordon, while Nikola Jokic and DeMar DeRozan each contributed 13 points in the home team’s first game. The Nuggets maintained control through the first half, but Oklahoma City erased the gap when a layup by Mitchell pushed the visitors ahead 64-62. 3-pointers from Alex Caruso and Alexander extended the advantage to 70-64 heading into the fourth quarter.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander breaks 20-point streak during rare shooting slump
The offensive struggles marked just the fourth time in 450 games with the Thunder that Gilgeous-Alexander went without a field goal in a half. He ultimately sealed the victory late in the fourth period by hitting a 3-pointer with 1:44 remaining to push the lead to 93-76. He requested a substitution during the subsequent timeout and did not return for the remainder of the contest, finishing the night with 17 points.
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Upcoming matchups for Denver and Oklahoma City
The Denver Nuggets host New Orleans on Saturday night. Meanwhile, the Oklahoma City Thunder host the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday night.
Game statistics and previous matchup context
The game unfolded across four quarters with the following quarter-by-quarter scoring breakdown: Denver recorded 27 points in the first quarter, 21 in the second, 16 in the third, and 20 in the fourth for a total of 84 points. Oklahoma City posted 24 points in the opening period, 20 in the second, 26 in the third, and 26 in the final period to finish with 96 points. Additional team statistics show Denver recorded 36 points in the paint, 2 fast break points, a biggest lead of 9 points, 33 bench points, 13 total rebounds, 22 turnovers, 0 team turnovers, and 12 points off turnovers. Oklahoma City registered 46 points in the paint, 10 fast break points, a biggest lead of 17 points, 31 bench points, 9 total rebounds, 12 turnovers, 0 team turnovers, and 21 points off turnovers.
