The Denver Nuggets made their home opener a lot more dramatic than anyone at Ball Arena probably wanted, but they still walked out with their first win of the season. After staring at a 23-point hole in the first half against the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday night, Denver rallied all the way back, forced overtime, and finished with a 141-135 victory.
That kind of swing makes for a messy game, and this one had plenty of it. The Nuggets looked shaky early, but the comeback tied for the third-biggest in franchise history and sent Denver into a 1-1 start instead of an ugly 0-2 mark.
The biggest reason the Nuggets survived? Their stars finally showed up like stars.
Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray were the engine the whole night after a rough opener. Murray led Denver with 42 points and 6 assists while shooting 12-25 from the floor and 8-16 from three. He was the steady force when the offense was sputtering, and after managing only 6 points in the season opener, this was the kind of response Denver needed.
Jokic did what Jokic does. He finished with 35 points, 15 rebounds, 10 assists, 2 steals, and 4 blocks on 12-23 shooting. He had a few early stretches that looked a little out of sync, but by the end, the full MVP package was on display.
The Nuggets won’t get 77 points from that duo every night, but this was much closer to the level Denver expects from its top two.
Another huge bright spot was Trevon Brazile, who keeps making it impossible to ignore him. The 23-year-old rookie followed his NBA debut, when he posted 4 points and 12 rebounds on Thursday, with an even bigger night on Sunday. He ended with 17 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 blocks on 6-11 shooting and 3-7 from deep.
Brazile finished the game with Denver’s starters and delivered on multiple possessions that mattered most in the comeback. It’s tough to picture the Nuggets leaving him out of the rotation when Spencer Jones returns from injury, because he already looks like someone who belongs. His rebounding, defense, shooting, and energy stood out, and Adelman keeping him on the floor to close and then play all of overtime said plenty.
There was still a lot to dislike about Denver’s start, though. For three quarters, the defense and rebounding were both badly exposed. The Pelicans scored at least 35 points in each of the first three periods, Denver had no answer, and New Orleans shot 80% on two-pointers through three quarters while winning the rebounding battle by 11.
Trey Murphy III and Dejounte Murray were getting what they wanted, and the Pelicans kept crashing the glass with force. Without the fourth-quarter surge, this would have looked like one of Denver’s ugliest losses in a long time.
Instead, the Nuggets escaped with a win and a long list of things to clean up. The comeback was real, but so were the problems.
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The Nuggets are only two games into the 2026-27 season, but one early rotation storyline already has a very clear shape. Denver sits at 1-1 after a comeback overtime win over the New Orleans Pelicans, and rookie Trevon Brazile has used the opening stretch to carve out real minutes. For a team still sorting through its depth, that kind of immediate trust is notable, especially with a roster that has to balance development, fit and a win-now timeline.
Zeke Nnaji, meanwhile, has been on the other side of that equation. The veteran has not played yet, and his name is already surfacing in trade chatter as Denver looks at ways to rework the back end of the roster. The Nuggets have had discussions with the Bucks about a possible deal, but nothing has moved forward, leaving one of the rosters more established names in an awkward spot as the season gets rolling. [Read more 🡒]
Jokic Turns Nuggets Comeback Into A Message Fans Wont Ignore
Denvers home opener had all the makings of an early-season gut check, but the Nuggets answered with the kind of comeback that usually softens even a restless crowd. Trailing by 23 against the New Orleans Pelicans, they clawed back to force overtime and win behind a huge night from Jamal Murray, who scored 42 points, while Nikola Jokic added a triple-double with 35 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists.
The victory still came with an edge. Jokic made clear afterward that he did not appreciate the reaction from some fans during the game, turning a stirring rally into something more personal for a team that expects its building to be a source of energy, not doubt. For a Nuggets group trying to settle in and defend its home floor, the message from its biggest star was unmistakable: resilience is part of the identity, and he wants the crowd to match it. [Read more 🡒]
Jokis Postgame Frustration Put Nuggets Fans On Edge After Comeback Win
The Nuggets gave their home crowd plenty to gripe about early against New Orleans, falling behind by more than 20 points in the first half before clawing all the way back for an overtime win. The comeback softened the immediate damage in the standings, but it did not erase the tension that built in the building when the boos started to rain down during the deficit.
Nikola Joki did not sound eager to let that go afterward, making it clear he noticed the reaction from the stands and was not pleased with it. It was an uncomfortable flashpoint around a team that still expects to contend, and it carried a little extra weight because Joki can become an unrestricted free agent next offseason, even if he has said he intends to re-sign. [Read more 🡒]