Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s last-second turnaround jumper clinched a thrilling 118-117 victory for the Oklahoma City Thunder over the Denver Nuggets during the NBA’s Saturday slate.
“I tried not to race the ball up the floor too fast, tried to take a little time off the clock and shoot at the last second,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “I just tried to get to something that I shot many times, something I was comfortable shooting.”
The Thunder, led by Jalen Williams with 24 points and Chet Holmgren’s impressive performance of 17 points, 11 rebounds, and a career-high nine blocks, rallied to overcome the Nuggets. Holmgren humorously lamented missing a tenth block due to Jamal Murray’s first-quarter dunk on him.
Nikola Jokic contributed 24 points and 12 assists, and Michael Porter Jr. added 20 points for the Nuggets without Kentavious Caldwell-Pope due to concussion protocol. Despite their efforts, Denver’s three-game winning streak was halted, marking only their second loss in 12 home games, both recent defeats at Ball Arena.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets Updates
Nuggets coach Michael Malone expressed his disappointment, citing turnovers and defensive lapses as missed opportunities to seal the game. Denver held a comfortable 111-103 lead with just over three minutes left, but a determined Thunder narrowed the gap to a single point, highlighted by a spectacular alley-oop dunk from Holmgren.
“I’m disappointed,” Malone said. “That’s a game we should have won. If we take care of the ball and we get a few stops, we win that game.”
In the final minute, both teams exchanged leads, with Porter and Murray scoring for Denver and Gilgeous-Alexander responding for Oklahoma City. Gilgeous-Alexander’s crucial rebound and subsequent game-winning shot over Peyton Watson capped off the Thunder’s comeback. Denver’s last attempt to answer was thwarted when their inbound pass was intercepted.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets Updates
Gilgeous-Alexander controlled the pace and selected a comfortable shot on the pivotal play This win was a significant turnaround for the Thunder, who had previously lost to the Nuggets by 33 points in October, a game in which Gilgeous-Alexander only scored seven points. Murray ended the game with 15 points, and Christian Braun added 14 for the Nuggets.
Looking ahead, the Thunder will host the Memphis Grizzlies, and the Nuggets will face the Dallas Mavericks, both games scheduled for Monday night.
