The Nuggets are finally opening the 2026-27 season, and they’re doing it with a little less depth than they’d like.
Denver heads to Oklahoma City on Thursday night to face a Thunder team that already checked off its opener this week, beating the San Antonio Spurs on the road. That gives the Thunder an early rhythm edge, and it comes with another wrinkle for the Nuggets: they’re already dealing with injury uncertainty before their first tip.
The big absence is Julian Strawther, who has been ruled out. Spencer Jones is listed as questionable with a bilateral hamstring injury management designation. For a Nuggets team that has already reshaped its bench, that’s a rough place to start, especially since Strawther and Jones are the only two second-unit returners.
Strawther’s loss matters most on the perimeter. Denver is already thin on three-point shooting off the bench, and his floor spacing is going to be missed.
The expectation is that he’ll sit out the first several weeks of the season, which opens the door for Alpha Diallo to step into the rotation. Two-way wings Cam Whitmore and Bryce Hopkins could also get a look.
Jones would give Denver help in a few different areas if he’s able to go. He brings three-point shooting, defense, and rebounding, but his status still needs to be sorted out before tip-off. If he can’t play, rookie forward Trevon Brazile is the next man up.
Oklahoma City’s injury list is much lighter in terms of real rotation impact. The Thunder have ruled out three players, but none are regulars in their usual lineup. Otega Oweh is out after right Achilles tendon repair/surgery.
Even with the shorthanded start, the Nuggets still get their shot at the kind of road win that can make a statement. The top-end talent on both sides is the headline here, especially with the last two MVP winners set to square off. Denver will need Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Aaron Gordon to carry plenty of the load if the bench remains compromised against one of the league’s deepest teams.
Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. MT in Oklahoma City on Thursday night on ESPN.
In Other News...
Sam Presti Just Framed Why The Thunder Keep Defying Market Size
Sam Prestis latest comments offered a familiar window into how the Thunder think about staying competitive without operating like a big-spending powerhouse. The Oklahoma City general manager went back to his early baseball memories while pointing to the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays as small-market clubs in the World Series, using them as examples of how drafting, development and careful spending can keep a team in the hunt. It is the same formula that has helped the Thunder build toward their recent NBA success.
Presti drew a clear line between those MLB clubs and Oklahoma Citys own approach, framing the challenge as one of maximizing organizational strengths within salary limits. For a Thunder team that has spent years turning smart roster construction into on-court progress, the comparison lands naturally, especially with the Brewers and Rays showing that market size does not have to define ambition. The bigger question is how far that blueprint can keep carrying the Thunder as the financial side of contention gets more complicated. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Face An Early Test As Fans Await Key Lineup Answers
After opening the season with a win over the San Antonio Spurs, the Thunder are back at Paycom Center on Thursday night for an early measuring-stick game against Denver. It brings a different level of attention than a typical October home date, especially with the Nuggets set to play their first game of the season and the matchup carrying the feel of an early West preview.
Oklahoma City still has a few lineup questions to sort through before tipoff, with multiple rotation pieces unavailable and one more player listed as questionable. Denver has its own absence to manage as well, which makes the final injury report worth watching once the teams get closer to the 8:30 p.m. CT start on ESPN. For a Thunder group trying to build momentum right away, the answers around availability may matter nearly as much as the opponent itself. [Read more 🡒]
Nuggets Opener Has An Unexpected Subplot Tied To The Thunder
The Nuggets season opener against Oklahoma City already had a familiar Western Conference edge to it, and now it carries a little extra intrigue because of a roster move tied back to the Thunder. Denver listed Spencer Jones as questionable because of bilateral hamstring injury management, while guard Julian Strawther has been ruled out with a left knee sprain. On the other side, Oklahoma City enters the game without Otega Oweh, Thomas Sorber and Nikola Topic, all still working back from surgeries.
Jones is the name worth watching because his path to Denver came through Oklahoma City this offseason, when the Thunders interest helped shape the matchup in a way that still lingers into opening night. Even with both teams already juggling injuries before the first tip, the status of a player with that kind of recent connection gives this one a little more subplot than your usual October opener, especially if Denver has to sort out its wing rotation without him. [Read more 🡒]