Oklahoma City won an overtime thriller against Denver that featured numerous technical and flagrant fouls. The bad blood between these teams was evident, and the chipiness culminated in a scuffle when Luguentz Dort intentionally tripped Nikola Jokić. Although Dort’s actions in a vacuum were not worthy of an ejection, the referees made the correct call to end his night early because the game would have gotten out of hand once Jokić retaliated. 

The Thunder still managed to win despite Dort’s ejection and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Isaiah Hartenstein sitting during overtime due to minutes restrictions. Here are key takeaways from the victory. 

Jared McCain was a big reason behind the victory. He injected life into the Thunder’s offense and finished with 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the field. Denver was consistently doubling and blitzing Gilgeous-Alexander, so McCain’s ability to put the basketball on the court and create his own shot allowed Oklahoma City to punish this defensive strategy. Overall, McCain is averaging 22.5 points per 75 possessions on 63% true shooting since making his Thunder debut. He’s a nice curveball off the bench for Mark Daigneault to utilize if the offense is in a slump. 

Jaylin Williams also deserves plenty of praise. He’s one of the best Jokic defenders in the NBA and seemingly gets inside Jokic’s head. This is significant because Hartenstein struggles mightily to guard Denver’s superstar. Plus, Williams has morphed into a legitimate offensive threat now that his shot is starting to fall. He contributed 12 points on 4-of-7 shooting from the field along with three assists. Look for Williams to be an X Factor should Oklahoma City and Denver meet in the 2026 playoffs. 

The Thunder selected Chet Holmgren with the second overall pick of the 2022 NBA Draft and signed him to a five-year, $240.7 million contract last offseason. He made his first All-Star team this season, and Jalen Williams’ absence opens up plenty of shots. 

Holmgren had every right to feel like he deserved significant offensive usage against Denver based on his resume. And yet, he only attempted eight shots across 37 minutes. Holmgren refused to let ego become a factor and instead put his head down and did the dirt work. He grabbed 21 rebounds, recorded four stocks and was everywhere on the court defensively. 

His selflessness and commitment to team basketball are driving forces behind why Oklahoma City excels. He embodies the Thunder’s championship DNA.