Categories: Trending now

Thunder 102-87 Nuggets (Oct 24, 2024) Game Recap

2024-10-25 12:35:03

DENVER — — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 28 points, Chet Holmgren added 25 as part of a stellar all-around performance and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Denver Nuggets 102-87 on Thursday night in the season opener for both teams.

Holmgren proved to be a handful on both ends of the floor. He tied a career high with 14 rebounds, and had five assists and blocked four shots. Reserve Aaron Wiggins added 15 points.

It was an important divisional game right out of the gate. The Thunder and Nuggets both finished 57-25 last season, with the Thunder earning the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference by virtue of a tiebreaker.

Reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic had 16 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds for Denver.

Jokic’s point guard partner, Jamal Murray, had 12 points on 4-of-14 shooting. Christian Braun added 16 points. while Aaron Gordon, fresh off signing a new contract extension, added 12 points. Denver was 7 of 39 on 3-pointers.

Takeaways

Thunder: Holmgren can run the floor with authority. In the third quarter, he blocked a shot by Jokic, ran the down the court, took a pass and and threw down a powerful dunk.

Nuggets: The Thunder’s bench outscored the Nuggets’ reserves 25-16. New addition Russell Westbrook had six points on 2-of-10 shooting.

Key moment

Before the game, Denver players and coaches paid tribute to the late Dikembe Mutombo by wearing T-shirts emblazoned with an image of the big man’s iconic finger wag. In the first quarter, the team showed a video tribute celebrating Mutombo’s big accomplishments on and off the court. Then, fans stood and applauded for 55 seconds — his number. Mutombo died last month of brain cancer. He was 58.

Key stat

At an average of 24 years, 148 days, the Thunder opened the regular season with the youngest roster in the league.

Up next

The Thunder are at Chicago on Saturday night, while the Nuggets host the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday night.

——

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

News Today

Share
Published by
News Today

Recent Posts

Ted Cruz defeats Colin Allred in U.S. Senate race

2024-11-06 13:00:02 Audio recording is automated for accessibility. Humans wrote and edited the story. See…

9 mins ago

What you need to know about the Electoral College as 2024 race nears end

2024-11-06 12:50:04 Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump remain locked in a…

19 mins ago

Kornacki Cam on Election Night 2024

2024-11-06 12:40:03 IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on…

29 mins ago

’B in BJP stands for betrayal, J stands for jumla’: Modi and Kharge clash over Karnataka election promises | 10 points

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent criticisms of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge have ignited a fierce…

34 mins ago

Who is Steve Kornacki? What to know about MSNBC election anchor

2024-11-06 12:30:03 It's Election Day and voting is in full swing across the country as Americans choose…

39 mins ago

Kalasha Fine Jewels expands presence with store in Bengaluru

Published November 5, 2024 Kalasha Fine Jewels has expanded its retail presence with the opening…

44 mins ago