Oklahoma City starts the season with a resounding 102-87 victory over the Denver Nuggets. Here are some post-game thoughts.

• Thunder’s defense was in mid-season form. Held the Nuggets to 36.5% shooting for the evening. Had 13 blocks and 9 steals, while forcing 15 turnovers. Hands and arms everywhere. Deflections, recovering, bothering the hell out of Jokic. It was a master-class.
  
• The Thunder’s depth is going to be a PROBLEM for the league. 
• This team can flip a switch quickly. They were down 9 at the halfway point of the first quarter. They finished the quarter up by 7. Once the Thunder got their altitude legs under them, it was off an running.
• Player of the Game: Chet Holmgren – 25 pts, 14 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals and 4 blocks. Just a game full of MF’er energy. His Defensive Player of the Year campaign is off to a great start. Was more physical and banged on the boards, grabbing 14 rebounds (4 of those on the offensive end). Had the play of the game with the denial of Jokic on one end and the hammer on the other end.
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was his great, consistent self. 28 pts, 7 rebounds, 8 assists, 3 steals, and 3 blocks. MVP! If you want to focus on one play to signify his leadership, look no further than the play in the fourth quarter where Denver threw the ball away over the half-court line and SGA full-on sprinted to the Thunder’s side of the court to get the ball and score a transition lay-up. Mind you, the Thunder were up by 16 at that point with 4 minutes left.
• Aaron Wiggins messed around and got a shoe deal with Under Armour before the game. Then goes out and starts his own 6th Man of the Year campaign, putting up 15 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 blocks. He was a stabilizing force on the floor throughout the game, hitting big buckets at times in the game when the Thunder needed them.
• Jalen Williams had a quiet game, but he was great in the beginning of the 4th quarter with SGA and Holmgren on the bench. He finished the evening with 12 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 blocks. Was more of a facilitator this evening, and that’s alright. There will be nights where his scoring is needed and nights, like today, where his ball-handling/facilitation is needed.
• Check out Alex Caruso’s line: 0 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists….and a team high +19!!!! He was a disruptor the entire evening and was key to spurring the Thunder’s run in the first quarter that put them up for the rest of the game.
• Mark Daigneault is 2/2 on coach’s challenges so far. He called a great timeout ijn the beginning of the 3rd quarter when Denver came out the gates and put a little run together. After the timeout, the team settled down and coasted from there.

Great start to the season. Next up: At Chicago on Saturday.