Okc Thunder Beat Nuggets 127-121 in OT After Nikola Jokić Confronts Lu Dort Over Trip
The okc thunder held off the Denver Nuggets 127-121 in overtime after a fourth-quarter altercation in which Lu Dort appeared to trip Nikola Jokić, an episode that resulted in a Flagrant 2 ejection for Dort and offsetting technical fouls on Jokić and Jaylin Williams. The incident and the comeback mattered because the win preserved the Thunder's standing atop the West and followed a tense, physical contest that required review and discipline.
Okc Thunder win overshadowed by Jokić–Dort altercation
The sequence began late in the fourth quarter when Nikola Jokić was jogging up the floor after Oklahoma City scored and Lu Dort stuck out his right leg, tripping him. Jokić immediately got to his feet and confronted Dort, putting his chest into the Thunder wing. Jaylin Williams came to Dort's defense and exchanged shoves with Jokić at midcourt before players and coaches from both teams intervened. After a review of the play, Dort's foul was upgraded to a Flagrant 2 and he was ejected. Jokić and Williams received matching technical fouls that were offset, and both were allowed to remain in the game.
What and how the contact was classified
Crew chief James Williams explained that Dort was assessed a Flagrant 2 because his contact on Jokić was unnecessary and excessive with a high potential for injury and because the contact led to an altercation that did not dissolve. Officials determined that Jokić did not throw a punch when he took a swipe at Jaylin Williams with his left hand; had a punch been identified, the rulebook prescribes an automatic ejection and at least a one-game suspension.
Stat lines and key contributors
Nikola Jokić finished with a triple-double: 23 points on 9-of-25 shooting, 17 rebounds and 14 assists. Jamal Murray led all scorers with 39 points, while only two other Nuggets reached more than seven points. For the Thunder, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander returned from an abdominal strain to lead the team with 36 points and 9 assists in 34 minutes, though he did not play in overtime due to a minutes restriction. Chet Holmgren added 15 points, 21 rebounds and 3 blocks. Depth players including Jaylin Williams, Alex Caruso and Jared McCain supplied key plays that helped decide the outcome.
Game flow: comeback, clutch, and one-sided overtime
Denver led by as many as 16 points in the first quarter before Oklahoma City mounted a comeback. Nikola Jokić tied the game with 38 seconds left in regulation, forcing overtime. The extra five minutes swung decisively in the Thunder's favor, who shut down the Nuggets in overtime to secure the 127-121 victory. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's minutes restriction kept him out of overtime, and Oklahoma City's bench production proved decisive.
Reactions from players and coaches
Nikola Jokić described the trip as "unnecessary move and a necessary reaction, " calling the initial contact something that should not occur on a basketball floor. Jokić said he was confident he would not be ejected because "I didn't do nothing, " and declined further comment when asked about the scuffle with Jaylin Williams, saying "it's not worth it. " Cam Johnson said he did not see the play because his back was turned but characterized it as a cheap shot sufficient for ejection.
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault characterized the contest as chippy, noting the teams' recent history and familiarity from a seven-game series and frequent matchups. He framed the incident as competitive heat that boiled over and added that if a player on his team is tripped in that manner, the Thunder would expect a Flagrant 2 to be called. When pressed about whether Dort's ejection was influenced by who was fouled, Daigneault declined to expand on the insinuation. Nuggets coach David Adelman said he still needed to rewatch the incident, which is unclear in the provided context.
Standings and implications
The victory leaves the Thunder with a 46-15 record, two games ahead of the San Antonio Spurs for the best record in the Western Conference. The Nuggets sit tied with the Minnesota Timberwolves at 37-23. The result carries playoff seeding implications and adds intensity to a divisional rivalry that has produced physical encounters and close outcomes.
Further replay showed a side of Jokić that was described as "frankly terrifying, " and one observer wrote, "I will now have a nightmare tonight. You're welcome. "
