Thunder Defeat Nuggets 96-84 as Holmgren and Williams Shine

The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Denver Nuggets 96-84 in a defensive battle on Thursday, October 22, in the United States, securing their second win of the early NBA season during their home opener.

Jalen Williams led all scorers with 21 points for Oklahoma City, while teammate Chet Holmgren recorded a valuable double-double with 12 points and 17 rebounds to anchor the paint and control the boards.

The Nuggets, playing their first regular-season game of the campaign, started strong by winning the first quarter 27-24 and taking a 48-44 lead into halftime. Aaron Gordon led Denver's offense efficiently, finishing the contest with 20 points.

However, Denver struggled offensively in the second half, failing to capitalize on their early advantage as their primary creators faced difficulties from the field. Nikola Jokić was restricted to 13 points on 5-of-19 shooting, and Jamal Murray added six points.

Oklahoma City also experienced shooting struggles early on, with star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander failing to make a single basket in the first two quarters. The turning point arrived in the third quarter when Ajay Mitchell put the Thunder ahead 64-62, and the hosts closed the period leading 70-64.

Gilgeous-Alexander eventually finished the game with 17 points by making 6 of 19 shots. Although the performance brought an end to his impressive streak of 141 consecutive regular-season games with at least 20 points, the Thunder outscored Denver 52-36 in the second half to seal the win.

Denver's scoring output after the break ultimately cost them the match, with Jokić and DeMar DeRozan matching each other at 13 points apiece. The Nuggets will look to bounce back when they host New Orleans on Saturday, October 24, while the Oklahoma City Thunder prepare to face the Clippers on Sunday, October 25.