By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Opening the NBA Sundays schedule, the Oklahoma City Thunder secured a win, 127-103, over the Denver Nuggets in Paycom Center.
Listed as probable with left ankle inflammation, Nikola Jokic was indeed cleared but also played through a right elbow injury from early in Sunday’s game.
The Serbian superstar ended up with 24 points behind 10/23 from the field. Grabbing 13 rebounds shaped a double-double, but with nine assists fell narrowly shy of a triple-double. Lasting 41 minutes, he also recorded three blocks and one steal.
Coming off the bench for the last 73 seconds, Slovenian Vlatko Cancar logged his first appearance since being cleared to play for the Nuggets. Early in the 2024-25 NBA Regular Season, he underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. In contrast, Croatian Dario Saric did not play for the team coached by Michael Malone.
Complementing a 40-point display by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, German Isaiah Hartenstein produced a 10-point, 11-rebound double-double plus one assist for the hosts. Playing one minute, French Ousmane Dieng did not get on the board. Belgian Ajay Mitchell (right great toe sprain) and Serbian Nikola Topic (left knee surgery) remained sidelined.
The Thunder improved to 53-11, pushing the Nuggets to 41-23 and the third seed of the Western Conference under the Los Angeles Lakers.
In American Airlines Center, the Phoenix Suns defeated the depleted Dallas Mavericks, 125-116, and reduced the distance from the lowest Western seed leading to the Play-Ins to 1.5 games. Serbian Vasilije Micic did not play.