Oklahoma City trailed Denver 48-44 at halftime and came back to win 96-84, its second win in as many regular-season games. Chet Holmgren led the Thunder with 12 points and 17 rebounds, while Aaron Gordon's 20 points led the Nuggets.
How Denver Built the Lead
The first half belonged to the Nuggets. An 8-0 run in the second quarter turned a 29-28 game into 37-28, and Mark Daigneault called timeout down 39-30 with 6:41 left. The Thunder never led by more than 3 before the break. Ajay Mitchell scored all 8 of his first-half points in the second quarter to keep it close. The last minute set the tone: Holmgren blocked Nikola Jokic's tip at 0:48, Isaiah Hartenstein finished a cutting dunk off a Shai Gilgeous-Alexander pass to make it 48-44, and Christian Braun gave the ball back on an offensive foul with four seconds left.
Grades From the Lines
Holmgren gets an A. He had 6 points on 2-of-3 shooting and 3 blocks by halftime, then finished with 12 points and 17 rebounds, the line of a player controlling both ends. Mitchell gets a B-minus: 8 points and 2 steals in 12 first-half minutes, offset by 3 turnovers and 0-of-3 shooting from deep. Jalen Williams gets a C. His 10 first-half points came on 3-of-7 shooting, but he was minus-9 in 18 minutes, the worst mark on the team at the break. Jaylin Williams was plus-3 in 10 minutes and Caruso plus-2 in 9, and that bench-heavy group, with Mitchell, Holmgren and Gilgeous-Alexander, closed the half.
What the Win Changes
Denver went 54-28 last season, and this win came against Jokic at full strength, which makes it more than a box checked. The defense held up while the shots weren't falling: Jokic's 3-of-13 half was the clearest sign of it. The bench had 17 points by halftime, a sign the depth can carry minutes while Nikola Topic and Thomas Sorber stay out, both with estimated returns of October 26. Now comes three days off before the Clippers visit on October 25, then the Suns the next night and a trip to Dallas on October 28.
Who led the Thunder in the win over the Nuggets?
Chet Holmgren led Oklahoma City with 12 points and 17 rebounds in the 96-84 win. Aaron Gordon led Denver with 20 points.
When do the Thunder play next?
Oklahoma City hosts the Clippers on October 25 and the Suns on October 26. Then the Thunder visit the Mavericks on October 28.
