DENVER — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander peered into the crowd during his stroll off the court and smiled, the only visible set of teeth amid a line of seething Thunder players.
Jeers swelled in his direction. His ears perked up at them, like he’d pressed his head against a phone call with his detractors. If he wasn’t already aware, the white sea in Denver made note of his self-admitted deplorable Game 3 performance on his way off the floor.
A missed opportunity. A typically buttery scorer watched a fourth quarter slip through his hands.
Nuggets star Nikola Jokic was fortunate to escape — “basically, I was the worst player on the court today,” he said postgame — walking the halls of Ball Arena in a suit that looked to be an ode to his namesake (the Joker), an eggplant jacket with an emerald vest. And yet it was Gilgeous-Alexander who chuckled as he walked away from the rubble.
“Some fans were taunting me,” Gilgeous-Alexander said after the Thunder’s 113-104 Game 3 overtime loss in Denver. “And I know how the game goes. I know how life is. It’s easy to taunt when you’re up, and I don’t ever want to show them that I’m defeated or mad or anything like that.
“Nothing’s written. The series is not over.”
Oklahoma City, now down 2-1 in these Western Conference semifinals, has seen the series swung by a mere handful of possessions. Gilgeous-Alexander was reminded of the ones he had a hand in Friday.
He entered the fourth quarter with 8:31 left in regulation, a one-possession game then in OKC’s favor. With 5:19 to play, he launched an unsuccessful leaning 3 in a tight window. The next possession was a 22-foot 2-pointer with little separation. Just over a minute later, SGA fired off another stepback 3. Front rim. Two possessions later, Gilgeous-Alexander missed that exact shot.
Gilgeous-Alexander finished the night with 18 points on 7-of-22 shooting (31.8%), his second most inefficient performance of these past two postseasons; Only his 4-of-13 showing in a series-opening win versus Memphis was worse.
He went 1 for 8 in the fourth and didn’t attempt a shot in overtime.
According to ESPN, 18 of his 22 attempts Friday were contested. His teammates shot just 7 of 24 (3 for 11 from deep) on his passes.
“A few of those shots felt good,” SGA said postgame. “More than a few. It ultimately felt like a lot of settling for jumpers.
“The way I see it, you live or die by your decisions,” he later said. “Tonight I died by my decisions.”
Death came by crucifixion from the Denver locals. By suffocation from late-game duress. The SGA that viewers have come to know was tied by the wrists, an extra knot on his shooting hand, forced to watch an experienced team pull out its second grueling win of the series.
His squad’s late offense hardly resembled the team that finished the regular season with a top-three offense. The Thunder got outscored by the Nuggets by 12 in the fourth quarter and overtime. Denver outscored OKC 11-2 in overtime alone.
Among the things the Thunder had going for it early in the fourth was All-Star Jalen Williams’ rhythm. He’s grown comfortable with each game in the series. He peaked Friday with a 32-point outing, tactfully muscling his way to spots and bailing the Thunder out with shotmaking and foul drawing.
Jalen Williams had 26 of his 32 points, as well as 10 of his 16 fourth-quarter points, by the time Gilgeous-Alexander rejoined the Thunder on the court in the fourth quarter. He took just two shots in the final 8:31 of regulation.
Asked about the Thunder’s offensive process and whether he felt Williams could’ve received the ball more often down the stretch, coach Mark Daigneault mentioned that “we can look at (the film),” but that “we’re not gonna push the same button repeatedly.”
Williams minimized it: “We have the best closer in the NBA.”
SGA cited his résumé, a history of head-shaking shots, artful midrange jumpers, and cold-blooded closes.
“I’ve been in those situations and my number was called and I tried to make the plays,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “(Williams) was amazing tonight. Sure, he probably could’ve touched the ball a bit more. If I make those shots, it’s not even a discussion.”
The game’s two MVP running mates were aligned in more ways than they expected; Jokic’s night was the third worst shooting game of his extensive playoff career.
He ended with 20 points and eight turnovers on 8-of-25 shooting, missing all 10 of his 3-point attempts, including a potential game winner at the end of regulation.
Through three games, Jokic has 21 turnovers to his 18 assists.
To add insult to inefficiency, OKC smoked Denver on the offensive glass 19-5. The result? A measly 11-9 lead in second-chance points.
The Nuggets finished the regular season dead last in the NBA in 3-point rate. They shot five more than the Thunder on Friday, making 40% of their attempts. Michael Porter Jr., playing with what seemed like an amputated shoulder and the touch of an angel, logged 21 points (5 of 6 from deep). He nailed enough cinematic shots for a Disney ending.
Despite winning regulation by 41 points this series, a 68-win team now finds its backs on the wall. The altitude is high, as are the stakes. Gilgeous-Alexander’s sinewy reach has been enough to wrap his arms around the Thunder these past couple seasons. His hands entered these playoffs anointed to close games. But twice now wins have escaped he and OKC’s grasp, boiling down to a deflating handful of late plays.
“I don’t think our confidence or our will has wavered at all,” veteran Alex Caruso told The Oklahoman. “Obviously it’s frustrating. That’s probably the biggest emotion you’re feeling because you put all this effort and work in and feel like you play well enough to win and lose.
“I fully expect us to come back out confidence and with our chest out, ready to win Game 4.”
You might see Gilgeous-Alexander’s teeth first.
Joel Lorenzi covers the Thunder and NBA for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Joel? He can be reached at jlorenzi@oklahoman.com or on X/Twitter at @joelxlorenzi. Support Joel’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
Best-of-seven series. All times are Central Time (CT)