Denver Nuggets Edge Oklahoma City Thunder in Summer League Thriller

In a 2026 NBA summer-league matchup on Tuesday at the Pavilion in Las Vegas, the Denver Nuggets defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 106-103. The Nuggets never trailed, building a lead as large as 13 points before withstanding a late rally by the Thunder. A decisive three-pointer by Trevon Brazile with 3:34 remaining extended Denver’s advantage to 95-83, but Oklahoma City chipped away, narrowing the gap to a single possession in the final seconds. A missed 29-foot buzzer-beater by Payton Sandfort sealed the win for Denver.

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Second-round pick Trevon Brazile (No. 35 in the 2026 draft) led Denver with a game-high 32 points, six three-pointers, and six rebounds. Fellow second-rounder Bryce Hopkins (No. 49) added 14 points and seven rebounds, while Erik Stevenson contributed 12 points and seven boards. For Oklahoma City, first-round selections Bennett Stirtz (No. 16) posted 22 points and six assists, and Aday Mara (No. 12) recorded 14 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Brooks Barnhizer grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds, and Payton Sandfort scored 19 points off the bench, including a crucial three-point play with 2:24 left.

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• Denver’s scoring surge: 32 points (Brazile), 14 points (Hopkins), 12 points (Stevenson).

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• Oklahoma City’s top output: 22 points (Stirtz), 14 points (Mara), 19 points (Sandfort).

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• Rebounding leaders: Sandfort (12), Barnhizer (11), Brazile (6).

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• Three-point shooting: Brazile hit six triples; Sandfort made several late threes to keep the game within reach.

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• “Second-round draft pick Trevon Brazile scored a game-high 32 points, hitting six 3-pointers, to lead the Denver Nuggets to a thrilling 106-103 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder in an NBA summer league matchup on Tuesday at the Pavilion in Las Vegas.” — ESPN recap

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• “The Nuggets never trailed and built a lead as large as 13 points, but they had to hold off a late rally from the Thunder.” — ESPN recap

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• “After Denver took a 95-83 lead on a 3-pointer by Brazile with 3:34 remaining, the Thunder mounted their comeback.” — ESPN recap

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• “A three-point play by Sandfort with 2:24 left cut the deficit to five.” — ESPN recap

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