Holmgren Dominates as Thunder Top Nuggets
The Oklahoma City Thunder rallied past the Denver Nuggets for a 96-84 victory, pushing their early-season record to a perfect 2-0. Trailing 44-48 at halftime, Oklahoma City seized control with a decisive 26-16 third quarter, entering the final period with a 70-64 lead. They extended that advantage to 12 points by the final buzzer. Chet Holmgren's presence was immense, as he recorded a double-double with 12 points, 17 rebounds, and 4 blocks, despite his team struggling from deep at 26% from three. Jalen Williams led the Thunder scoring with 21 points. For Denver, Aaron Gordon's 20 points and Nikola Jokic's 13 points weren't enough, as 22 turnovers proved costly against Oklahoma City's 12. The Thunder's bench also chipped in 31 points, narrowly outscoring Denver's reserves (33).
The win elevates the Thunder to fourth in the Western Conference standings, while the Nuggets begin their campaign at 0-1, ranking eleventh.