Nuggets Open Their Season Thursday at the Thunder: Jokic Faces Two-Time MVP Gilgeous-Alexander
The Denver Nuggets, based in the consolidated city-county of Denver, Colorado, play their 2026-27 regular-season opener on Thursday, October 22, visiting the Oklahoma City Thunder. Tip-off is 9:30 p.m. ET at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, on ESPN; Denver is the last team in the league to open its season.
The matchup pairs two MVPs. Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the reigning two-time regular-season MVP; in 2025 he led Oklahoma City past the Indiana Pacers to the NBA title and was named Finals MVP. Nuggets center Nikola Jokic is a three-time regular-season MVP and a 2023 NBA champion. Oklahoma City already won its season opener at San Antonio on Tuesday, making Thursday its home opener.
On injuries, Nuggets forward Spencer Jones strained his left hamstring early in training camp and missed the entire preseason. He scrimmaged in Sunday's practice and said he expects to be available for the opener, though Wednesday's official injury report still listed him as questionable. Nuggets guard Julian Strawther sprained his left knee in the October 14 preseason game against the Los Angeles Clippers, will be re-evaluated in six weeks, and is out for the opener.
(Source: ESPN Press Room, October 19, 2026; injury reporting via the Denver Post and others)
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：丹佛市中心天际线（资料图）。作者 Zenhaus，CC BY-SA 4.0，来源 Wikimedia Commons。Photo: The downtown Denver skyline (file photo), by Zenhaus, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
