Okc 127-121 Nuggets (Feb 27, 2026) Game Recap: okc tempers flare, Dort ejected
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 36 points in his return after missing nine games with an abdominal strain as the Thunder beat the Denver Nuggets 127-121 in overtime Friday night in Oklahoma City. The okc win came in a testy matchup that featured multiple technical fouls and the ejection of Lu Dort.
Okc return and first basket
Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning MVP, started and drew loud applause when his name was announced in the pregame introductions. His first basket was a driving layup two minutes into the game. He scored 18 points in the first half, added 14 in the third quarter and finished with 36 points and 9 assists in 34 minutes. He did not play in overtime; he missed nine games with an abdominal strain and sat out the extra period under a minutes restriction.
Scrum and ejection details
Tempers flared late in the fourth quarter when Lu Dort fouled Nikola Jokić. The Denver center confronted Dort and a scrum developed near midcourt. Jokić and Oklahoma City forward Jaylin Williams were given offsetting technical fouls and Dort was assessed a Flagrant 2 and ejected. Crew chief James Williams said after the game: "Lu Dort was assessed a flagrant foul penalty 2 because we deemed his contact on Jokic to be unnecessary and excessive with a high potential for injury, and also because the contact led to an altercation that did not dissolve. So, by rule, a flagrant foul penalty 2 carries an automatic ejection. "
Jokić’s triple-double and shooting
Nikola Jokić finished with 23 points, 17 rebounds and 14 assists, shooting 9-of-25. He tied the game with 38 seconds left in regulation, sending the contest to overtime at 107-107. The confrontation with Dort came in the fourth quarter after Dort had earlier hit a 3-pointer that put Oklahoma City up 86-85.
Game flow and team details
Denver led 59-50 at halftime after making 11 of 20 3-pointers before the break and at one point led by as many as 16 in the first quarter. The Nuggets held an 83-77 lead entering the fourth before Oklahoma City rallied. Gilgeous-Alexander was called for an early technical after he threw the ball at Jokić, who had made contact with him after play stopped. Denver's bench was assessed a technical in the third quarter, and there was talking and shoving throughout the game.
Thunder depth and key plays
The extra five minutes were one-sided for Oklahoma City, which shut down Denver in overtime to close out the 127-121 victory. Jamal Murray, who had been listed as questionable with an illness before the game, led the Nuggets with 39 points. Chet Holmgren had 15 points, 21 rebounds and 3 blocks for the Thunder. Only two other Nuggets scored more than seven points in the game. okc's depth — with contributions from Jaylin Williams, Alex Caruso and Jared McCain — was noted as a deciding factor as the Thunder closed the win without Gilgeous-Alexander in the extra period.
Photos, moments and context
On Feb. 27, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jaylin Williams fell into Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić as Jokić went after a rebound during the second half. Denver’s center Jokić also drove past Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein during the first half. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander went after the ball in front of Denver guard Julian Strawther during the second half. The teams are familiar: the Thunder beat the Nuggets 4-3 in the Western Conference semifinals last season, the Thunder have won the first two meetings this season and they play twice more.
The result keeps the Thunder at 46-15, two games ahead of the San Antonio Spurs for the best record in the West, while the Nuggets sit at 37-23, tied with the Minnesota Timberwolves for fourth place. The game featured a mix of physical play, technical fouls, and an ejection that underscored the heated rivalry between the clubs.
