Despite playing without three of its starters, the Denver Nuggets handed the Oklahoma City Thunder their first loss of the Orlando resumption on Monday when the two teams locked horns.
The Nuggets did need five extra minutes to do it, though.
After a contest that featured 66 free throws and 54 fouls called through regulation, Michael Porter, Jr. ended the evening with a career performance that proved too much for Billy Donovan’s team.
Porter (35 points, 12-for-16 field goals) led the way for Denver, but it was the team’s MVP candidate in Nikola Jokic who pushed them to victory in the game’s extra period. Jokic turned in a 30-point, 12-rebound, 10-assist triple-double and scored eight of his team’s first 10 points in an overtime period which saw them take the game by the horns.
As a team, the Nuggets had 23 assists on just 12 turnovers, which went a long way. Denver led by as many as 10, but the teams battled back-and-forth in a contest which saw neither able to take control.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander provided a major lift for the Thunder, leading the team with 24 points on 6-for-12 shooting from the field. He also chipped in five rebounds and two assists.
Chris Paul fouled out of the contest late in the overtime period. He ended the evening with 23 points and eight assists.
