Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's 2 late treys lift Thunder past Nuggets

Gilgeous-Alexander scored 35 points, including a pair of clutch 3-pointers in the final seconds, to lead Oklahoma City to a 129-126 home win over Denver.

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 35 points, including a step-back 3-pointer in the closing seconds, to help the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 129-126 home win over the Denver Nuggets on Monday. Moments earlier, Gilgeous-Alexander had hit another late 3-pointer, but the Nuggets tied the game with a four-point play. Gilgeous-Alexander then delivered the dagger with 3.3 seconds left, draining another big shot over Spencer Jones to seal the victory. The win came on the same night that Gilgeous-Alexander tied Wilt Chamberlain's NBA record with his 126th consecutive 20-point game.

Why it matters

The Thunder-Nuggets rivalry has been heating up in recent seasons, with several close and physical matchups. This latest thriller between the two Western Conference contenders showcases the star power and clutch ability of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who continues to cement his status as one of the NBA's rising young superstars.

The details

Gilgeous-Alexander scored 35 points, including the two late 3-pointers that lifted the Thunder to victory. Jaylin Williams added 29 points and 12 assists for Oklahoma City, which was missing big men Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein. The game was fairly calm until late, when Luguentz Dort was called for a flagrant foul on Nikola Jokic. Jokic had 32 points, 14 rebounds and 13 assists for the Nuggets, but it wasn't enough to overcome Gilgeous-Alexander's heroics.

  • The last time the two teams met, on Feb. 27 in Oklahoma City, the game was chippy from the outset.
  • On Monday, the rematch was fairly calm, outside of plenty of lead changes, until late.

The players

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

A 24-year-old point guard for the Oklahoma City Thunder who scored 35 points, including two clutch 3-pointers in the final seconds, to lead his team to victory.

Nikola Jokic

The star center for the Denver Nuggets, who had 32 points, 14 rebounds and 13 assists in the losing effort.

Jaylin Williams

A 22-year-old forward for the Oklahoma City Thunder who scored 29 points and dished out 12 assists to help the team win without two of its key big men.

Luguentz Dort

A 24-year-old guard for the Oklahoma City Thunder who was called for a flagrant foul late in the game.

Jamal Murray

The starting point guard for the Denver Nuggets, who scored 11 points in the fourth quarter to help his team mount a late comeback.

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The takeaway

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's clutch performance in the final seconds, including tying an NBA record, solidifies his status as one of the league's most exciting young stars and a key reason the Thunder remain in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race.