Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander heads off the court after Game 3 in the Western Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs against the Denver Nuggets Friday, May 9, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein reacts as time runs out in overtime of Game 3 in the Western Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs against the Denver Nuggets Friday, May 9, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, front, recovers a loose ball as Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort, back left, and forward Chet Holmgren defend in overtime of Game 3 in the Western Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs, Friday, May 9, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren, right, drives past Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray in overtime of Game 3 in the Western Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs, Friday, May 9, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Gilgeous-Alexander hears taunts at end, smiles through them as Thunder fall 113-104 in OT to Nuggets
DENVER (AP) 鈥 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander didn鈥檛 sulk over his off night. He didn鈥檛 hang his head, either, after the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder lost to the Denver Nuggets for the second time in three games.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander heads off the court after Game 3 in the Western Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs against the Denver Nuggets Friday, May 9, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
DENVER (AP) 鈥 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander didn鈥檛 sulk over his off night. He didn鈥檛 hang his head, either, after the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder lost to the Denver Nuggets for the second time in three games.
He just smiled. And as some fans in the Ball Arena crowd taunted the Thunder guard while he left the court , his smile 鈥 like his resolve 鈥 only grew.
鈥淚t鈥檚 easy to taunt when you鈥檙e up,鈥 said Gilgeous-Alexander, who was 7 of 22 from the floor Friday night, including 1 of 6 from 3-point range, and finished with 18 points. “I don鈥檛 ever want to show them that I鈥檓 defeated or mad or anything like that. Nothing鈥檚 written. The series is not over, and we have a lot to be optimistic about.
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鈥淚 didn鈥檛 perform the way I did down the stretch, but I have an opportunity the next game and the next game after that, to make up for it. I鈥檓 optimistic about it.”
The Thunder were coming off a 43-point wipeout of Denver in Game 2 where everything seemed so easy. This game was a grind, especially in overtime where they were outscored 11-2, going 1 of 7 from the floor and turning it over twice.
It’s all part of the process for the young Thunder, who trail 2-1 in the series heading into Game 4 on Sunday at Ball Arena.
鈥淟osses always sting, especially in the playoffs,鈥 said coach Mark Daigneault, whose team swept Memphis in the first round. 鈥淏ut what I would say is we are in the process of becoming a great team, and we鈥檝e checked a lot of boxes in that process. One thing that it takes to be a great team is you get taken to the limit in the playoffs, and you鈥檝e got a rise to the challenges that you鈥檙e confronted with.”
The good in Game 3 for the Thunder: Holding Nikola Jokic, the reigning NBA MVP, to 8 of 25 shooting, including 0 of 10 from 3-point range. They also saw Jalen Williams erupt for 32 points and dominated the offensive boards by an 18-5 margin. They outscored Denver 56-32 in the paint.
The not-so-good in Game 3: Shooting 25.7% from behind the 3-point line and an off night from Gilgeous-Alexander, the favorite to win the MVP over Jokic.
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鈥淚t sucks to lose, but you can鈥檛 throw everything out the window when you do,鈥 Daigneault explained. 鈥淵ou鈥檝e got to learn from the good and the bad.”
The Thunder plan to study the film and learn from Game 3 鈥 just like they did after losing the first game of the series.
鈥淣ot everything is all sunshine and rainbows,” Williams said. “There are going to be a lot of ups and downs to it. It鈥檚 about how you win these days in between and I think that鈥檚 what makes a really good team.鈥
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