Thunder Edge Nuggets in OT
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander poured in 36 points in his return from injury as the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Denver Nuggets 127-121 in overtime. Meanwhile, Nikola Jokic had a gritty MVP-caliber performance despite shooting 9/25 from the field and playing over 43 minutes. Tempers flared late in what became a heated Western Conference showdown.
The on-court tension wasn't random; the Thunder previously knocked the Nuggets out of the Western Conference semifinals last season in a grueling 4-3 series. This latest matchup was physical from the start, with shoving and trash talk throughout. The flashpoint occurred late in the fourth quarter when Thunder defensive specialist Lu Dort was ejected. Dort was assessed a Flagrant 2 foul for a hip check/trip combination on Nikola Jokic, which led to a scrum involving multiple players. Jokic and Oklahoma City's Jaylin Williams received offsetting technical fouls for the ensuing altercation. Even before the main event, the game was chippy. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander received a technical foul in the first quarter for throwing the ball at Jokic after a play. The Denver bench was also T'd up in the third quarter. This game was Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's first action after missing nine games with an abdominal strain. The Thunder managed a 5-4 record in his absence. Gilgeous-Alexander is a frontrunner for the league's MVP award, and can only miss six more games to remain eligible for postseason awards. The victory solidified the Thunder's position at the top of the Western Conference standings with a 45-15 record. The Nuggets are currently fourth in the West. The two teams are scheduled to face each other again on March 9 in Oklahoma City. The game also carried significant weight in the MVP race, largely seen as a contest between Gilgeous-Alexander and Jokic. A recent ESPN straw poll showed Gilgeous-Alexander with a significant lead, receiving 78 first-place votes to Jokic's 18. Jokic's own MVP eligibility is precarious; he can only miss one more game this season.
