LOS ANGELES (AFP) — The Oklahoma City Thunder, fueled by big games from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren, opened their National Basketball Association (NBA) campaign with a dominant 102-87 victory over Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets in Denver on Thursday.
Gilgeous-Alexander, who was runner-up to Jokic in Most Valuable Player award voting last season, scored 28 points and Holmgren added 25 points, a career-high 14 rebounds, four blocked shots and two steals for the Thunder, who led by as many as 20 points.
Oklahoma City withstood a triple-double from Jokic, who claimed his third Most Valuable Player trophy in four years last season. The Serbian star scored 16 points with 12 rebounds and 13 assists.
But the Nuggets connected on just 35.4 percent of their shots from the field, making just 15 of 54 shots in the second half as the Thunder romped home.
Oklahoma City and Denver finished with matching 57-25 records last season, the Thunder claiming top seed in the Western Conference on a tiebreaker but falling to Dallas in the Conference semifinals.
Holmgren impressed on both ends of the floor, blocking a shot by Jokic in the third quarter and sprinting for a dunk.
“I’m just trying to go out there and execute and help make winning plays,” Holmgren said. “And we put enough of them together tonight to come away with a win.”
Four-time NBA champion Klay Thompson scored 22 points in his Dallas debut to give the reigning Western Conference champion Mavericks a boost in their 120-109 victory over the San Antonio Spurs.