Thunder unleash season-high threes and aggression in statement win. Can this offensive surge signal a true turnaround before the trade deadline?
The latest episode of The Uncontested breaks down a statement road win for the Oklahoma City Thunder — a 121-111 victory over the Denver Nuggets that felt like a “get-right” performance in both energy and execution.
A big theme is how much the Thunder’s offense changes when the three-point shot is actually falling. The crew frames the night as a much-needed palate cleanser: OKC hits a season-high 19 threes on 48 attempts, and even though the percentage lands around 40%, it felt bigger because of how it opened everything else up — cleaner reads, more space, and better flow. That spacing also ties into one of the headline notes: the Thunder played with noticeably more intensity and aggression than they’d shown recently, communicating better, sprinting into actions, and winning hustle sequences that helped them build and hold a lead.
From there, the episode goes player-by-player. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander gets the “MVP-level” label for orchestrating the game and piling up a season-high 13 assists while still controlling tempo. Cason Wallace is the big swing performance — a career night from three (7-for-11) and a boost of assertiveness that changes the ceiling of the supporting cast when it shows up. Aaron Wiggins is highlighted for stabilizing the non-SGA minutes, creating shots, and hitting timely buckets that kept momentum from flipping.
There’s critique mixed in, too. Luguentz Dort gets praise for defense but some frustration for uneven shot selection (especially the tough mid-range stuff). And Chet Holmgren is discussed as a player whose defense and rim protection pop, but whose offensive assertiveness still hasn’t consistently matched the moment in big games.
The crew also calls out the rebounding as a sneaky swing factor — matching Denver with 39 boards after some recent slippage — before closing with NBA All-Star trivia to wrap the episode on a lighter note.