These Nuggets are going to face more palatable defenses than the Oklahoma City Thunder in most games, but they’re going to need to shoot the ball better than their one-game sample size so far to remain a championship contender.
Denver shot 35% from the field and 7 for 39 from 3-point range in a 102-87 season-opening loss to the Thunder on Thursday night at Ball Arena. Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. combined for 27 points on 9-of-31 shooting with Lu Dort, Alex Caruso and company giving them nightmares, as the Nuggets didn’t get enough production from the top or bottom of the roster.
An injury-afflicted Oklahoma City pulled away from the healthy Nuggets with a 27-17 third quarter. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander piled up 28 points, seven rebounds, eight assists and three steals. Chet Holmgren added 25 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks.
Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets with his first triple-double of the season, amassing 16 points, 12 boards and 13 assists.
The Nuggets committed 10 of their 15 turnovers in the first half, carrying a preseason trend into their first meaningful minutes of 2024-25. After halftime, the lack of scoring could be mostly chalked up to missing shots — 22 of their 29 attempts in the decisive third frame.
“They’re a great defensive team,” coach Michael Malone said before the game. “They’re physical. They try to push you out. … The one challenge we have is if we can try to force the Thunder to be a half-court team, which means that we’re taking care of it and not giving up 25-plus points in transition, we’ll give ourselves a chance to win.”
Transition scoring was fairly even. So were paint points and second-chance points. But the Thunder’s shot-creators and shot-makers simply outplayed Denver’s, with the depth of options standing out throughout the night.
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Source:: The Denver Post – Sports
