This game had the feel of a playoff matchup from start to finish. The Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets traded runs all night, with neither team able to fully pull away. Denver dominated the glass behind Nikola Jokic, who produced another monster stat line, but Oklahoma City countered with efficiency, defense, and elite guard play.
In the end, it was Shai Gilgeous-Alexander who had the final say. The Thunder star controlled the game throughout the night and capped it off with the game-winning bucket in the closing moments to seal a thrilling 129-126 victory. Oklahoma City’s balanced scoring and clutch execution ultimately proved just enough to overcome Denver’s interior dominance.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: A+
Game Stats: 35 PTS, 9 REB, 15 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 14-21 FG, 3-7 3PT, 4-4 FT, 39 MIN
Gilgeous-Alexander delivered one of the most complete performances of the season. He controlled the pace of the game with incredible composure, picking apart Denver’s defense with drives, mid-range pull-ups, and perfectly timed passes. His 15 assists showed how well he created for teammates, but he was just as dangerous as a scorer whenever the Thunder needed a bucket. The most important moment came at the end, when he calmly delivered the game-winning shot to finish off an incredible night. Performances like this are exactly why he’s considered one of the league’s most dangerous closers.
Jaylin Williams: A
Game Stats: 29 PTS, 12 REB, 3 AST, 2 BLK, 10-17 FG, 7-11 3PT, 2-4 FT, 40 MIN
Williams had one of the best shooting games of the season, stretching the floor and punishing Denver whenever they left him open. Hitting seven threes from the frontcourt position, he caused major mismatch problems for the Nuggets. Aside from his scoring, he also grabbed 12 rebounds for a double-double and had multiple blocks. His ability to affect the game in many different ways made him an integral part of Oklahoma City’s victory.
Ajay Mitchell: A
Game Stats: 24 PTS, 2 REB, 3 AST, 1 STL, 9-16 FG, 1-4 3PT, 5-5 FT, 29 MIN
Mitchell gave the Thunder a huge boost off the bench with an aggressive and confident scoring performance. He consistently attacked the rim and took advantage of openings in the defense, finishing efficiently while also knocking down all of his free throws. His ability to generate offense during key stretches helped Oklahoma City maintain momentum whenever the starters rested.
Jared McCain: B+
Game Stats: 13 PTS, 1 REB, 1 AST, 4-7 FG, 3-5 3PT, 2-2 FT, 22 MIN
McCain provided exactly what the Thunder needed off the bench with scoring in a hurry, particularly from beyond the arc. He made three shots from beyond the three-point line and helped keep the floor spaced when Denver began collapsing into the paint to slow down Gilgeous-Alexander. His confidence in shooting the basketball made him a valuable spark for the Thunder rotation.
Isaiah Joe: B
Game Stats: 13 PTS, 4 REB, 2 AST, 2 BLK, 5-10 FG, 3-8 3PT, 32 MIN
In all fairness, Joe had a satisfactory performance, making great contributions in several key areas of the game. Joe’s three-point shooting was needed to keep the defense honest, as well as staying active defensively to contribute with two blocks. Defensively, Joe may not have needed to dominate the game with points, as his role in the game was to maintain space for the team, as well as provide good energy.
Aaron Wiggins: C+
Game Stats: 3 PTS, 2 REB, 1 TOV, 1-3 FG, 0-2 3PT, 1-2 FT, 18 MIN
Wiggins had an average game in terms of scoring. However, his truly fantastic defense was more than enough for him to receive a C+ grade. Thanks to Wiggins’ great hustle and defensive effort, the second unit had some key moments.
Luguentz Dort: C+
Game Stats: 6 PTS, 4 REB, 1 STL, 2 BLK, 1 TOV, 2-11 FG, 2-8 3PT, 0-2 FT, 30 MIN
Dort had a pretty bad offensive game, missing so many shots. In addition, he was unable to establish any offensive flow for the team. On the plus side, he was able to help the team defensively with two blocks and a steal. He also helped in limiting Denver’s outside scoring, and his flagrant on Jokic appeared to change the tone for his team once again.
Cason Wallace: C+
Game Stats: 4 PTS, 2 REB, 1 AST, 1 BLK, 2-6 FG, 0-1 3PT, 17 MIN
Wallace had a pretty quiet game, and similar to Kenrich, he was not scoring a ton. He also defensively contributed and helped with limiting the ball a few times. A short stint provides a good but not great grade.
Kenrich Williams: C+
Game Stats: 2 PTS, 1 REB, 2 AST, 0-2 FG, 0-1 3PT, 2-2 FT, 13 MIN
Kenrich Williams usually comes off the bench and provides energy to the team, and keeps the offensive flow going, even if he does not score. Many contributions may not show in the box score, and he hustles a lot and is usually in a position to make a play. With Williams not getting a lot of time to play, a C+ is correct, considering that he wasn’t able to make a lot of positive or even negative contributions.
