Why Did Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Struggle Against the Nuggets?

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been on fire in the early season, but his hot streak came to a halt against the Denver Nuggets. The Nuggets' suffocating defense held Gilgeous-Alexander to a mere seven points on 2-16 shooting in their dominant 128-95 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. It was a far cry from his recent 30+ point performances.

Denver's defensive effort was a team-wide endeavor, with players like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Jamal Murray, Peyton Watson, Christian Braun, and Reggie Jackson all contributing to Gilgeous-Alexander's struggles. Caldwell-Pope even earned the Defensive Player of the Game chain for his impressive performance. The Nuggets held the Thunder to just 41.1% shooting from the floor and 18.8% from beyond the arc.

This was not an isolated incident for the Nuggets, as they have showcased their defensive prowess against other star players this season. They limited Anthony Davis of the Lakers to 17 points and Desmond Bane of the Grizzlies to 15 points in previous games.

While Gilgeous-Alexander's off night can be attributed to Denver's exceptional defense, it remains to be seen if other teams will learn from the Nuggets' success and adopt similar strategies to slow down the high-scoring guard.

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