{"id":180607,"date":"2026-03-10T07:30:31","date_gmt":"2026-03-10T11:30:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=180607"},"modified":"2026-03-10T02:51:36","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T06:51:36","slug":"okc-bench-shines-thunder-vs-nuggets-showdown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2026\/03\/10\/okc-bench-shines-thunder-vs-nuggets-showdown\/","title":{"rendered":"OKC Bench Shines in Thunder vs Nuggets Showdown — Again"},"content":{"rendered":"

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander<\/a>‘s greatest hits tour continues<\/a>, and it is shocking every critic right now. Aside from SGA’s historic night, the OKC bench also proved itself better in a high-stakes clash against the Nuggets. The reigning MVP even credited them after the win, and it was only fitting that they received some spotlight with their massive performances.<\/p>\n

Going up short-handed against their division rivals<\/a>, the latest Thunder vs Nuggets<\/a> duel turned out to be a candidate for the game of the year. SGA and Nikola Jokic<\/a> were going at it for the whole game, but the Thunder bench made it even more of a spectacle to watch.<\/p>\n

OKC Bench Shines in Thunder vs Nuggets Showdown — Again<\/h2>\n

Many thought that the Thunder would have problems in this crucial showdown. They were missing a huge scoring and playmaking burst from Jalen Williams<\/a>. Isaiah Hartenstein<\/a> and Chet Holmgren<\/a> were also out, meaning OKC wouldn’t actually dominate the boards on this one. Even two-way center Branden Carlson<\/a> was absent. And the fact that Alex Caruso<\/a> sat out this one meant Oklahoma City would have to put another guy on the Jokic assignment.<\/p>\n

And yet despite those roadblocks, the Thunder pulled off a 129-126 victory for their 51st win. There’s no denying that the bench has played a huge role in that success.<\/p>\n

J-Will Shows Off a Big Game<\/h3>\n

No Chet, no IHart, and no Carlson — this meant bigger minutes for Jaylin Williams<\/a> in the game. True enough, the lone Thunder big logged 40 minutes, matching Jokic’s presence<\/a> on the court. But what made it even better for the Arkansas product was the fact that he dropped 29 points on the Nuggets star. He drilled a career-high seven threes in the win and crashed the glass for 12 boards.<\/p>\n

If anything, J-Will showed just how much of a traffic cone Jokic’s defense is. The fact that he’s just averaging a meager 7.5 points and 5.6 rebounds in the season, then proceeds to match Jokic’s point total, is absurd. This is definitely a huge leap for J-Will, who has seen a bigger rise this season<\/a> due to the injuries that OKC has dealt with.<\/p>\n

\n

I just chuckle at how deep OKC is. No Chet, no Hartenstein. So Jaylin Williams goes off for 29 tonight and 30 one week ago. The Thunder just have endless bodies and they keep on flourishing no matter who\u2019s in. What a team.<\/p>\n

— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnor) March 10, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n