Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
(Bart Young | NBAE via Getty Images)

Balanced Attack Lifts Thunder

Highlights: OKC 119, DEN 107

By Paris Lawson | Broadcast and Digital Reporter | okcthunder.com

GAME RECAP: OKC 119, DEN 107

THE BIG PICTURE

An undermanned Thunder squad put on a show in enemy territory against a red-hot Denver team. OKC snapped the Nuggets’ six-game winning streak behind a furious defensive effort, a scorching shooting performance from deep and a career night from Thunder forward Isaiah Roby. 

MOMENTS FROM THE 48

A Full 48-Minute Effort

The Thunder jumped out to a strong start in Ball Arena. The group held the Nuggets 0-for-5 from the field in the opening three minutes of action while jumping out to a 9-2 advantage and forcing Nuggets head coach Michael Malone to burn a timeout. 

Aleksej Pokuševski, who stepped into the starting lineup in Aaron Wiggins’ absence, made an early impact with a steal, a block, two assists, two rebounds and two points in those first three minutes of play. That two-end productivity would be a theme throughout the night for the Thunder who utilized its defense to fuel its offense throughout the night.  

OKC fearlessly attacked the paint in the first half, going nose to nose with the sizeable presence of Nikola Jokić and DeMarcus Cousins. In the second half however, it was a 3-point barrage helped the Thunder build up a double-digit lead. 

After falling behind by 10 points, Denver’s Bones Hyland and Bryn Forbes sparked an 11-0 run to take a lead midway through the third quarter. OKC remained poised and answered with its own 3-point flurry of its own to regain the lead – for the night, OKC shot at a scorching 55 percent from the 3-point line and 50 percent from the field. 

The Thunder received contributions from all nine healthy players in its lineup to keep the Nuggets out of reach in the fourth quarter. There were several big-time buckets by players such as Lindy Waters III, Théo Maledon, and Isaiah Roby in the final minutes, but it was a 3-pointer by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with 1:30 left in the game that sealed the Thunder’s 119-107 victory. 

“I mean obviously a great group effort by our guys obviously we got a lot of guys out but I thought we played to the type of team we want to be on both ends of the floor and relied on that,” said Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault. “Our identity was our North Star tonight on both ends of the floor.” 

Defensive Identity on Display

Sometimes the best offense is a good defense and that was the formula for the Thunder throughout much of the night.  The team showed engagement and discipline in its coverage against reigning MVP Nikola Jokić – sending double teams his way and jumping into passing lanes to snag outlets. By halftime, the Thunder forced 10 turnovers which led to 14 extra points. 

By the end of the game, OKC had managed to translate 16 Denver turnovers into an additional 25 points on the other end of the floor. All five Thunder starters logged two or more steals on the night, but the stuff that didn’t show up in the box score that made just as big of an impact defensively. 

Active hands in help side, diving on the floor for loose balls, elevating vertically to contest a layup ­– all of those things are central to the Thunder’s defensive identity and were present against Denver. 

“That was the one thing that we wanted to put into the game from the jump,” said Gilgeous-Alexander. “We know that’s where we hang our hat on throughout the season."

Roby’s Career High 

In his 11th start of the season, Thunder forward Isaiah Roby logged a new career-high with 26 points on 9-of-13 from the field and 4-of-5 from the 3-point line. From the very outset, the Dixon, Illinois native showed aggression and fearlessness as he went up against the bruising force of Jokić and Cousins. 

With a versatile 6-foot-8 frame, the young forward looked to use his speed and mobility to his advantage against his bigger opponents. In doing so, Roby stretched out behind the 3-point line and went a perfect 4-for-4 from deep before missing his first 3-pointer. Additionally, he worked in the pick and roll to create seams and cracks that his teammates could find him on. 

“I give our guys credit. They were ready to throw punches tonight,” said Daigneault.  “Isaiah was definitely embodying that from the jump. I thought our aggression and our willingness to lean into the fight tonight against obviously a really good hot team was impressive.”

“Every game I’m just trying to find a better way of exploiting my advantages,” said Roby. “Jokić has a lot more size than me and even their backup bigs have a lot more size than me, but I'm able to attack them in different ways and different parts of the floor.”

THE LAST WORD

Coach Daigneault on the confidence that comes from the win…

“Games like this when you're down as many guys as we are, it builds confidence in what we're doing as well. It builds confidence in our identity, and in our style knowing that if we lean back on that it can be effective regardless of who we have on the court. It's a huge confidence game.”

WHAT'S NEXT

The Thunder returns to Oklahoma City for a stretch of three straight home games beginning with a matchup ton Friday against the Minnesota Timberwolves.