The Oklahoma City Thunder came into the 2024/25 NBA season as strong contenders, and their debut game proved it. OKC dominated the Denver Nuggets with a decisive 102-87 win, making for a disappointing start to the Nuggets’ season. The loss wasn’t even close, showing the team’s weakness right from the start.
Despite a strong effort from Nikola Jokic, who recorded a double-double with 16 points, 12 rebounds, and 13 assists, Denver struggled with their shooting, finishing the game at 35% from the field and 7-of-39 from beyond the arc.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 28 points, seven rebounds, and eight assists, while Chet Holmgren added 25 points, 14 rebounds, and four blocks. The Thunder’s bench also outscored the Denver Nuggets’ reserves 25-16, contributing significantly to their victory.
Denver’s Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. combined for 27 points on 9-of-31 shooting as they faced tough defense from Lu Dort and Alex Caruso. They committed a total 10 of their 15 turnovers in the first half, which Oklahoma City capitalized on to build a lead.
They had a tough time shooting. They only hit 35.4% of their shots and just 17.9% from three-point range. They made 10 out of 14 free throws, but that wasn’t enough. They faced a strong defense in their first game of the season. Even though they had some good chances, Denver couldn’t score enough to keep up.
Denver Nuggets open season with Dikembe Mutombo tribute
The Denver Nuggets paid tribute to Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo during their season opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night. The franchise honored Mutombo, who passed away last month from brain cancer, with a video tribute and a 55-second round of applause from fans, reflecting his jersey number.
Players and coaches showed their respect by wearing T-shirts emblazoned with an image of Mutombo’s iconic finger wag. Michael Malone, the coach of the Nuggets, had the honor of coaching Mutombo.
He shared his sentiments: “Dikembe Mutombo will always be remembered as an ambassador of this game, on and off the court, with a huge, huge heart, and I feel really fortunate to have gotten to know him, coached him, and spent time with him. And obviously he’ll be missed by many, many people.”
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