Berry Tramel’s Game 3 Report Card: Jokic Wasn’t the Issue in Thunder’s Overtime Loss…
The Thunder’s 113-104 overtime defeat to the Nuggets in Game 3 was filled with oddities. While OKC managed to limit some of Denver’s typical strengths, they failed to exploit their own advantages. The grades reflect a very unusual performance.
Minutes Without Jokic: D
Denver surprisingly outperformed OKC when Nikola Jokic was on the bench, especially during the first five minutes of the second quarter, where they went on a 17-12 run. Over the 9:07 that Jokic sat, the Nuggets outscored the Thunder 24-18, hitting 10 of 14 shots. This was a critical failure for OKC, as Denver usually struggles without their MVP.
Defending Jokic: A
OKC did an outstanding job neutralizing Jokic. He had a rough night, scoring 20 on just 8-of-25 shooting and missing all 10 of his three-point attempts. He grabbed 16 boards, but also committed eight turnovers—more than his six assists—for the second time this series, a rare occurrence for him. Isaiah Hartenstein and the Thunder defense collectively made life difficult for him.
Free Throw Shooting: D
The Thunder struggled at the line, hitting only 15 of 22 attempts (68.2%), far below their league-leading season average. Only Williams and Holmgren shot well, while SGA, Caruso, Dort, and Hartenstein all missed critical free throws.
Three-Point Shooting: D
Apart from Jalen Williams (3-of-7), OKC was abysmal from deep, hitting just 6-of-28 otherwise. SGA and Holmgren were each 1-of-6, Dort went 0-for-4, and Caruso’s two threes in the third were the only other bright spots.
Overtime: F
The Thunder collapsed in OT, scoring just two points—a Holmgren dunk—on eight possessions. Denver executed effectively, scoring on five of their first seven trips. Poor shot selection, including multiple air balls and a shaky rotation decision to bench Holmgren early, contributed to OKC’s unraveling.
Coach Daigneault’s Rotations: D
The Thunder came out aggressive, leading early in fast-break points, but Daigneault’s second-half rotation changes disrupted rhythm. Key bench players barely saw the floor after halftime, and fatigue seemed to set in. OKC led after the first quarter but failed to win any of the remaining periods.
Rebounding: B
OKC dominated the glass early, collecting 16 offensive rebounds to Denver’s seven. However, the advantage didn’t translate to second-chance points, with a slim 11-9 edge. Holmgren was a bright spot with 16 boards, and SGA had his best rebounding game in over four years.
Points in the Paint: A
The Thunder crushed Denver inside, outscoring them 69-47 in the paint, including paint-related free throws. Despite Denver’s better efficiency in the paint, OKC’s volume approach was effective—especially on a night when perimeter shots weren’t falling.
Overall Defense: C
While holding Denver to 102 points in regulation was solid, OKC didn’t create the same turnover pressure seen in earlier games. The Thunder forced just 11 turnovers and had only seven steals, a drop-off from their usual havoc-wreaking defensive style.
