Three Takeaways From Oklahoma City's Dominating Victory in Denver

Oklahoma City is playing like one of the best teams in the NBA, and Friday night was another example. The Thunder dominated Denver on the road 119-93, and it never really seemed that close either. The Nuggets couldn’t figure out how to slow down the Thunder’s high-paced offensive attack, and Oklahoma City held Nikola Jokic in check better than most.

After the win in Denver, Oklahoma City has won eight out of the last 10 games — including two wins over the Nuggets. The Thunder are in sole possession of the No. 2 seed and trail the Timberwolves by just 2.0 games. On the season, Oklahoma City is now 21-9 overall which equals a .700 win percentage.

There’s lots to digest after the Thunder’s win over Denver, and the team’s three-game win streak over playoff teams. Here are three quick takeaways from Friday night’s blowout:

SGA’s MVP Campaign is Legit

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was, once again, outstanding. The Thunder guard put on another superstar display Friday night, and dominated the MVP duel against Nikola Jokic.

Gilgeous-Alexander totaled 40 points on 14-of-20 shooting, including 2-of-3 from the 3-point line and 10-of-10 from the free throw line. His MVP campaign isn’t a feel good story or a late addition, he should legitimately be one of the leaders for the NBA’s coveted award. He has dominated top competitors this season and nobody seems to have an answer for what he’s doing.

His efficiency has been unbelievable, and he’s clearly the engine behind this Thunder team. Oklahoma City will go as far as Gilgeous-Alexander goes, and he sure looks like an MVP candidate right now.

Lu Dort’s Defense is High Impact

Lu Dort didn’t have the best night offensive. He went just 2-of-6 from the floor and totaled four points. But he didn’t force any shots, and realized his offensive game wasn’t effective. He focused his attention to getting busy on the defensive end.

Dort was matched up against Jamal Murray and made his night miserable to say the least. Murray finished the evening with just nine total points and went 4-of-15 from the floor and 1-of-6 from 3-point range. It was an impressive display from Dort, who has played his role perfectly for the last month or so.

The Thunder Might Not Need to Make a Trade

Oklahoma City’s potential splash trade has been at the center of NBA media for the last few weeks. The Thunder have a treasure chest of assets and an unreal amount of draft capital. Because the team is exceeding expectations this seaosn, it's easy to call for a trade deadline swap to bolster the current roster.

With the No. 2 team in the Western Conference and everything clicking, though, why make a trade? Oklahoma City is firing on all cylinders, and at this point, it seems like teams are legitimately puzzled by the Thunder's positionless offense. Nobody has an answer for the team's high paced attack.

The Thunder might not need to make a trade this season, especially for both chemistry and development purposes. It feels like there's a new declaration on the roster every game, and this current bunch could be special.

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