Chet Holmgren, OKC Thunder make statement in NBA opener with rout of Denver Nuggets

Posted by Admin October 25, 2024 NBA

DENVER — The revolution is coming, and on Thursday, Chet Holmgren advanced the troops.

Defined sternum be damned, Holmgren is as mean and nasty as ever. He’s as calculated as he’s been, too. Take the third-quarter sequence in the Thunder’s 102-87 win against the Nuggets on Thursday night in the NBA season opener, a series of plays that Ball Arena resented and Holmgren used to punctuate a monster night.

It started with a block. Holmgren had stood dudes up at the rim for a chunk of the night like a tragic prom date. It ended with him sprinting in transition, finding his way at the rim for another poster dunk.

He pumped his fist, slicing through the air and nearly the fans sitting on the baseline. Holmgren.

By the end of the night, the game was his. One matchup down, one mighty statement win, and a box score worth hanging on the fridge: 25 points (11 for 18), 14 rebounds, five assists, four blocks and zero regard for the rim.

His ask is large, with Isaiah Hartenstein missing at least the next month with a hand injury. But Holmgren’s summer work — centered around attacking closeouts, being available as a roller and punishing the rim — showed Thursday night. And with his third-quarter punch, OKC’s quest for dominance this season truly began.

Thunder fans got as accurate of an Alex Caruso experience as it could in Game 1.

He stood idle, yapping defensive coverages from the sideline as Isaiah Joe roamed the floor with the starters. Upon entering the game, he swarmed Jamal Murray, poking his head into the lane until Murray was spooked and watched the ball go out-of-bounds.

His statline was meager — he finished with just two shots and zero points — but his activity was the breath of life that the Thunder upheld all game.

The Thunder forced 15 turnovers, rotating and making improbable plays even in small lineups. Caruso headed that effort.

Then came Cason Wallace, with no-look deflections, appearing as Caruso’s spitting image.

And when Caruso’s lineup pushed back on the Nuggets’ initial run, he eventually returned to the bench, back as a pseudo-assistant and a full-time irritant.

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Chet Holmgren’s final line is something else: 25 points, 14 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 blocks, 2 steals.

The Thunder visit Chicago to face the Bulls on Saturday night.

Chet Holmgren. That is all.

Holmgren has 21 points, nine rebounds, five assists and that amazing sequence above.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren each have 12 points for OKC.

Pretty good first quarter response for OKC. Shot the 3s they said would, struggled to get back in transition with Denver after some of the misses, 2nd unit came back and settled things. Caruso is a dude. Hope you had two Dieng corner 3s on your bingo card.

—Joel Lorenzi, Staff writer

OKC: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Isaiah Joe, Lu Dort, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren
DENVER: Jamal Murray, Christian Braun, Michael Porter Jr., Aaron Gordon, Nikola Jokic

What time is Thunder vs. Nuggets

Date: Thursday, Oct. 24
Time: 9 p.m. CT
Where: Ball Arena in Denver

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What channel is OKC Thunder vs Denver Nuggets on today?

TV: TNT
How to watch online: SlingTV (free trial)
Radio: WWLS 98.1 FM

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Thunder vs. Nuggets odds

Odds via BetMGM as of Wednesday night:

Favorite: Nuggets by 2.5 points

Over/under: 225.5 total points

Moneyline: Nuggets -135, Thunder +110

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OKC Thunder roster

*-two-way contract

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OKC Thunder schedule

Thurs., Oct. 24: at Denver, 9 p.m.

Sat., Oct. 26: at Chicago, 7 p.m.

Sun., Oct. 27: Atlanta, 6 p.m.

Wed., Oct. 30: San Antonio, 8:30 p.m.

Fri., Nov. 1: at Portland, 9 p.m.

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Thunder vs. Nuggets highlights

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