Shai Gilgeous-Alexander played another outstanding game in the Oklahoma City Thunder’s victory over the Denver Nuggets with a score of 117:118.
It was a showdown between the present and future of the NBA league. The reigning champions faced off against a team with championship aspirations in the near future. Denver and Oklahoma played a phenomenal game, and in the end, the visitors emerged victorious. Although the Nuggets’ offense didn’t function at its best, they managed to control the pace of the game and secured a two-point lead after the first 20 minutes.
The second half saw a closely contested battle, with Denver showcasing superior play. Led by Nikola Jokic, they even reached an eight-point lead in the final quarter, which ultimately proved insufficient. Once again, Oklahoma demonstrated its winning mentality and managed to come back. The decisive moment in the game was Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s fadeaway shot with 0.9 seconds left.
Shai was the standout performer of the game with 25 points and eight assists. Jalen Williams contributed 24 points, and the incredible Chet Holmgren was on the verge of a triple-double with 17 points, 11 rebounds, and eight blocks. On the other side, Jokic finished the game with 24 points and 12 rebounds.
The Sacramento Kings’ victory over the Utah Jazz with a score of 125:104 was highlighted by the brilliant performance of Keegan Murray.
From the very first quarter, it was evident which direction the game would take, as the home team built a 12-point lead. This advantage was maintained going into halftime, and the game was effectively sealed in the third quarter. Sacramento extended their lead by 18 points during this period, entering the final quarter with a comfortable 30-point margin and smoothly closing out the match.
The remarkable outcome was largely attributed to the phenomenal performance of Murray. He broke the franchise record for the most three-pointers in a single game, previously held by Buddy Hield with 11 made shots. Keegan finished the game with an impressive 47 points and a three-point shooting accuracy of 12 out of 15, becoming only the seventh player to achieve at least 12 three-pointers in a game.
Domantas Sabonis contributed a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds, while Colin Sexton led Utah with 28 points.