The Denver Nuggets are finally set to open their season tonight, and Nikola Jokic isn’t treating the moment like anything bigger than a basketball game.
That may sound almost too calm for a team facing the Oklahoma City Thunder right out of the chute, but Jokic made it clear he’s not spending much energy on the spotlight. Instead, he’s looking forward to seeing his friend Nikola Topic in Oklahoma.
“To be honest, I’m going to see my friend Nikola Topic in Oklahoma,” Jokic said. So, we’re going to have dinner.
We’re probably going to watch some games, have some fun. I’m not going to feel nervous.
But I think I always feel nervous before the game. I think that’s normal.
And it should be like that. I think that’s why I’m playing this sport because of that.”
Jokic’s comments came as Denver prepares for a difficult first test after a first-round loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in April. The roster stayed largely the same, and this matchup with a Thunder team already off to a 1-0 start is a sharp early measuring stick.
For Jokic, though, that’s part of the appeal.
“I think we are ready,” said Jokic. “We had a couple of games to prepare ourselves.
It’s a tough opponent, but if you want to be the best, you need to play with the best and beat the best… It’s good to see where we’re at. We watched them yesterday.
They’re a good team - they’re definitely a challenge for every team, so it’s good to see where we’re at.”
That’s the kind of answer that fits Jokic perfectly. Even at 31, with a championship, three MVPs and eight All-Star selections already on his résumé, he still talks about the nerves like they’re part of the job description. They never seem to rattle him; if anything, they keep him plugged in.
Denver will need that edge tonight. Oklahoma City looked sharp in its opener against the San Antonio Spurs, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander turning in a big night: 32 points, six rebounds, four assists, three steals and three blocks on 48.1% shooting.
That’s a heavy ask for a Nuggets team that may be a little thinner on the wing without Peyton Watson, who joined the Cavaliers this summer. Against a team playing that well, the margin for error gets small fast.
Still, the simplest truth remains the one Jokic has spent years living out: Denver goes where he takes it. And he doesn’t look bothered by the challenge waiting on the other side.
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Nuggets Opener Has An Unexpected Subplot Tied To The Thunder
The Nuggets regular-season opener against the Thunder already had a little extra edge to it, and the injury report has added another layer of intrigue. Denver listed Spencer Jones as questionable because of bilateral hamstring injury management, while Julian Strawther is out with a left knee sprain, leaving the roster with a bit less wing depth heading into a matchup that usually carries plenty of attention anyway.
Jones has been part of the conversation around Denver since the offseason, when his place on the roster became a talking point in its own right. With the Thunder also dealing with multiple unavailable players as they work back from surgeries, the opener still has the feel of a game where the margins matter, and the Nuggets will be watching closely to see how the latest lineup decisions shape up before tipoff. [Read more 🡒]
Nuggets Opener Will Put Denvers Shaky New Rotation Under Pressure
The Nuggets are heading into their 2026-27 opener in Oklahoma City with more questions than usual around the back end of the roster, and the timing could not be trickier. Denver has spent the offseason reworking pieces around its core, losing Peyton Watson, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Bruce Brown while adding DeMar DeRozan, a veteran scorer who figures to give the second unit a different look as the group settles in.
David Adelman has already signaled that the rotation is still a work in progress, which means the first few games may be as much about sorting roles as chasing a clean result. Denver will need those answers quickly against the Thunder, because early-season experimentation is one thing on paper and another when the opponent is sharp enough to expose every shaky minute. [Read more 🡒]
Nuggets May Not Be Done Addressing A Backup Guard Problem
The Nuggets search for help behind Jamal Murray may not be over yet. NBA insider Jake Fischer reported that Denver had interest in Kevin Porter Jr. before Milwaukee waived him, a sign the team is still keeping an eye on ways to upgrade a backup guard spot that has been a point of discussion around the roster. Porter has long been viewed as a player who could give Denver more punch offensively than Tyus Jones in that reserve role.
Finding a path to him is another matter. Denvers salary-cap situation leaves little room for maneuver, and bringing Porter in now would require the front office to navigate a crowded roster picture while also managing the financial consequences of a move. The Nuggets can keep looking, but any attempt to add another guard would come with real complications attached. [Read more 🡒]