NBA: Thunder cruise past Nuggets, overcome Jokic’s triple-double

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, left, blocks Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as he drives the lane in the second half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 28 points, Chet Holmgren finished with 25 points and 14 rebounds, and the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder overcame a triple-double from Nikola Jokic to beat the Denver Nuggets 102-87 on Thursday night in the NBA season opener for both teams.

Aaron Wiggins contributed 15 points off the bench and Jalen Williams scored 12 for Oklahoma City. The Thunder have won their last four games against Denver.

The Nuggets struggled from behind the 3-point arc, going 7-for-39 from deep.

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Jokic finished with 16 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds. Christian Braun also scored 16 points, Michael Porter Jr. had 15 points and Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon added 12 points each for Denver.

Opening STATEMENT from Chet and Shai.@ChetHolmgren: 25p, 14r, 5a, 4b@shaiglalex: 28p, 7r, 8a, 3b

The @okcthunder win in Denver 🔥 pic.twitter.com/0GfYISC7Kg

— NBA (@NBA) October 25, 2024

Oklahoma City built a 65-56 lead early in the third quarter but the Nuggets answered with an 8-2 run. Porter hit a layup and two free throws, Gordon hit a fadeaway and Braun scored in close to trim Denver’s deficit to 67-64. The Thunder answered as Gilgeous-Alexander hit two free throws, Williams and Cason Wallace made short shots to push the lead to 73-64 with 6:23 left in the quarter.

Gilgeous-Alexander scored on a layup and a bank shot and Holmgren blocked a shot on one end and finished with a running dunk to make it 80-66 with 2:51 left in the third.

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The lead grew to 19 before Julian Strawther’s floating jumper broke the Nuggets’ cold snap and started a surge that gave them life entering the fourth.

Denver scored seven straight points bridging the third and fourth quarters to cut the deficit to 85-73 but the Thunder quickly increased the lead.

Wiggins hit a layup, Williams dunked and drained a 3-pointer and Gilgeous-Alexander’s running layup increased Oklahoma City’s lead to 19 points.

The Nuggets jumped out to a nine-point lead in the first quarter, but Holmgren and Gilgeous-Alexander sparked an Oklahoma City surge to end the period with a 31-24 lead.

The Thunder increased it to a 10-point advantage but Denver pulled within 49-45 on a 3-pointer by Porter with 3:52 left in the first half.

Oklahoma City answered to take a 58-51 lead at intermission.

–Field Level Media