The Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets entered Game 3 with the series tied 1-1 and tensions running high. The Thunder came in riding a wave of momentum after a dominant 149-106 win in Game 2, fueled by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s near-perfect shooting night and a total team effort that saw eight players score in double figures.
On the other side, the Nuggets were hoping to bounce back on their home floor after a flat outing, especially from Nikola Jokić, who went from dropping 42 points in Game 1 to fouling out with just 17 in Game 2. With both teams having already shown their firepower, Game 3 shaped up to be a pivotal moment in this tightly contested Round 2 series.
OKC Thunder vs. Denver Nuggets Game 3 Box Score
| Quarter | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | OT | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nuggets | 22 | 29 | 29 | 22 | 11 | 113 |
| Thunder | 28 | 28 | 26 | 19 | 2 | 104 |
Nuggets Player’s Stats
| Player | MIN | PTS | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| J. Murray | 47 | 27 | 4 | 8 |
| A. Gordon | 46 | 22 | 8 | 5 |
| M. Porter Jr. | 42 | 21 | 8 | 1 |
| N. Jokic | 43 | 20 | 16 | 6 |
| C. Braun | 43 | 8 | 7 | 1 |
| R. Westbrook | 22 | 8 | 1 | 4 |
| P. Watson | 16 | 7 | 5 | 0 |
| Z. Nnaji | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Thunder Player’s Stats
| Player | MIN | PTS | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| J. Williams | 43 | 32 | 3 | 5 |
| C. Holmgren | 40 | 18 | 16 | 0 |
| S. Gilgeous-Alexander | 44 | 18 | 13 | 7 |
| I. Hartenstein | 30 | 10 | 10 | 4 |
| L. Dort | 33 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| A. Caruso | 22 | 7 | 2 | 2 |
| A. Wiggins | 12 | 7 | 2 | 2 |
| J. Williams (Bench) | 13 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| C. Wallace | 19 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| I. Joe | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
Thunder vs. Nuggets Game 3 Recap
The Thunder didn’t explode out of the gate, but they quietly took control of the first quarter with better ball movement and activity on the glass. They led 28-22 after quarter one, not because they shot lights out, hitting just 40.7% from the field, but because they outworked Denver in the little things.
OKC almost doubled Denver’s rebounds (18 to 10), dished out more assists (9 to 4), and grabbed four offensive boards that gave them second-chance looks. Denver, on the other hand, looked flat. They shot 31.6% from the field and couldn’t generate any offensive momentum. Jokić and company struggled to get inside, managing only 2 points in the paint.
The second frame saw the Nuggets wake up a bit. Denver edged out Oklahoma City 29-28 in the quarter, tightening the gap to trail 56-51 at halftime. Jokić had a shaky moment with a rare double-dribble call, while Jamal Murray chipped away at the lead from the free-throw line.
But OKC stayed in control, thanks partly to Luguentz Dort’s powerful dunk off a slick Shai Gilgeous-Alexander assist that kept the momentum leaning their way. The Thunder held their lead at the break, but Denver was inching closer.
The third quarter had a different vibe altogether as Denver came out swinging. They outscored the Thunder 29-26 in the frame, slowly chipping away at OKC’s lead and turning what looked like a comfortable gap into a nail-biter heading into the fourth.
On the Thunder side, Gilgeous-Alexander remained steady. He hit a clutch jumper and picked up a rebound late in the quarter, while Jaylin Williams added a layup to keep OKC just ahead. But Denver’s tightened defense and smarter shot selection started to show. Jokic missed a late 3, but the Nuggets were clearly back in rhythm.
The fourth quarter was everything you’d expect in a high-stakes playoff clash — tight, tense, and full of drama. Both teams traded blows, and neither side blinked. Oklahoma City had their moment when Jalen Williams knocked down a deep 3 with 1:52 left to make it 102-99. But Denver answered right back.
With just 29.4 seconds left, Aaron Gordon drilled a clutch 3-pointer from the wing, set up by Jamal Murray, to tie the game 102-102 and send it into overtime.
The Nuggets carried that momentum into the extra period and never looked back, outscoring OKC 11-2 in overtime to seal a 113-104 win. The Nuggets are now 2-1 in Round 2.