Game-winning shot + MVP locked, Alexander's perfect night

Thunder vs. Nuggets games are never boring, and today's matchup could even be called the best game of the season.

No matter who took control in the first three quarters, it was temporary—the opponent always found ways to claw back. The Nuggets exploded with 40 points in the first quarter, Gordon was on fire, but the Thunder immediately unleashed their signature defense in the second quarter, hitting a buzzer-beating three to lead by 6 points at halftime. The Nuggets surged with a 12-0 run in the third quarter to retake the lead, and the Thunder regained the advantage in the final period.

With 1:12 left, the Thunder led by 7 points, seemingly ending the suspense, but the truly thrilling part of the game was just beginning. Dort, while fighting through a screen, placed his left hand in an improper position, directly striking Jokic's face. After review, the referee called a flagrant foul, awarding the Nuggets two free throws and possession.

Jokic made one of two free throws and then hit a three-pointer, scoring 4 points in one possession to cut the deficit to 3 points, reigniting the game's suspense. On the next offensive play, Jokic backed down Jaylin and scored again, racking up 6 consecutive points to bring the gap down to just 1 point.

As Jokic erupted, Alexander, his direct competitor, didn't hold back either. With 13.6 seconds left, Alexander isolated Braun and nailed a three-pointer from the top of the arc. Before that, he was 1-for-5 from three, yet he once again hit a three that could decide the game.

Why say "once again"? Because just two days ago against the Warriors, he also hit a three-pointer to seal the game. However today, the game's suspense didn't end at that moment.

On the next play, trailing by 4 points, Jokic hit another three-pointer, while Jaylin collided with Jamal Murray and was called for a foul. Jokic's three counted, and Murray also received a free throw, allowing the Nuggets to score 4 points in one possession and tie the game.

Ten days ago, the Thunder beat the Nuggets in overtime, but today, Alexander didn't let the game reach overtime. With 8.6 seconds left, Alexander received the inbound pass, and the Nuggets switched to Spencer Jones to defend him solo. Alexander stepped back for a three from the 45-degree angle and hit it again! A dagger to seal the win.

Although there were still 2.7 seconds left, chaos ensued on the court, the entire arena immersed in celebration after Alexander's game-winner. With no timeout, the Nuggets hastily passed to Gordon for a heave from the backcourt that missed. 2.7 seconds can allow for many things, but the Nuggets' last-second execution was too rushed; without a timeout, the coach had little chance to salvage the situation.

Alexander's final two three-pointers were increasingly ruthless—if one three couldn't finish you off, he'd hit another. It's well known that three-pointers aren't Alexander's sweet spot, yet from last season to this season, he has made many such clutch three-pointers to decide games.

This season, Alexander is the king of clutch moments in the league, averaging 6.4 points in clutch time, ranking first; Edwards is second with 5.7 points. Today he scored 10 points again in the final quarter.

The Nuggets' lineup was unusually complete today, with everyone except Watson available. Jokic even played early in the fourth quarter, showing his seriousness about this game. Jokic finished with 32 points, 14 rebounds, 13 assists, and 3 turnovers—still elite numbers—and scored 9 consecutive points late to single-handedly drag the game back.

Yet the man standing opposite him was even more formidable. Alexander had 35 points, 9 rebounds, 15 assists, with zero turnovers, shooting 14-for-21 and 3-for-7 from three. Before hitting the final two threes, Alexander was 1-for-5 from three, but his shooting confidence never wavered.

Since the 1977-78 season, including playoffs, only two players have recorded 35+ points, 15+ assists, and 0 turnovers: LeBron James in 2018, and Alexander today.

Alexander today also tied Chamberlain's historic record of 126 consecutive games scoring 20+ points. The last time he scored below 20 was in 2024. Today he had 25 points through three quarters, despite facing constant traps and double teams, with few isolation opportunities.

In the clutch moments of the final quarter, the Nuggets chose to let Alexander isolate Braun and Jones—which proved unsuccessful based on the outcome. But the reason they dared not double-team late was mainly because Alexander's teammates were also sharp today, with the team shooting over 40% from three. Jaylin alone hit 7 threes, and "Magic" hit two consecutive threes in the fourth quarter.

The Nuggets' role players also performed excellently: Gordon erupted early, Hardaway sank 8 threes, Jones grabbed 5 offensive rebounds. The Nuggets outrebounded the Thunder by 13 offensive rebounds but still lost the game.

Today's game fulfilled all elements of a great contest. Both stars carried their teams, role players shone, the process was dramatic and full of twists, suspense peaked at the end, and Alexander's final game-winning three-pointer placed a perfect cherry on top of this cake.

This was a game that decided MVP contention and the title of the world's best player—a perfect night for Alexander, the best performance of the season. Last season Alexander achieved a sweep of accolades, yet some still argued Jokic was better than Alexander. After today, he is the undisputed best player in the world. Face-to-face victory over an opponent is always the best way to prove oneself.

Every matchup between Jokic and Alexander is so thrilling. Hopefully these two teams meet again in the playoffs this year, and hopefully they play another full seven-game series.

After the game-winner, Alexander raised two fingers. You can interpret many meanings from that, the most direct being: the second MVP for No. 2 is coming.