Published for Nuggets fans — October 2026
By Toxlay Sports Editorial Team · Last updated October 19, 2026
The Club
The Denver Nuggets are Mile High Basketball. Founded in 1967 as the ABA’s Denver Rockets, they joined the NBA in 1976 and play at Ball Arena in navy, gold and white. It took 47 years, but the wait ended in 2023, when Nikola Jokić led the Nuggets to their first NBA championship — a 4-1 Finals win over the Miami Heat. This season the franchise leans into its roots with new retro ABA-inspired orange uniforms, debuting December 27.
Last Season (2025-26): Stunned in the First Round
The 2025-26 Nuggets looked like contenders — right up until they didn’t. Denver won 54 games, finished 2nd in the Northwest and 3rd in the West, and closed the regular season on a 12-game win streak. Then the first round happened. A Minnesota Timberwolves team playing without Anthony Edwards for stretches of the series bounced Denver in six games — the franchise’s first-round exit since 2022. Injuries told the story: Jokić missed four weeks in January with a left knee injury, Aaron Gordon was hobbled, and Peyton Watson and Christian Braun missed big chunks of time. Denver’s 1st-ranked offense (122.6 ORtg) couldn’t survive the league’s 21st-ranked defense.
Best Players Right Now (2026-27 Roster)
Nikola Jokić, 31, Center — The best player in the world, full stop. A two-time MVP, 2023 Finals MVP, and the engine of everything Denver does. On Christmas Day he became the first player in NBA history with a 55-15-15 game (in an OT win over Minnesota) — then hurt his knee four days later.
Jamal Murray, 29, Guard — The Blue Arrow. Denver’s playoff assassin broke the franchise single-season three-point record on March 27 against Utah. When he’s on, the Nuggets are a different team.
Aaron Gordon, 31, Forward — The glue. Denver’s defensive anchor and Jokić’s favorite lob target, when healthy. Hamstring issues last season; the whole season swings on his legs.
Cameron Johnson, 30, Forward — The newest starter. Acquired from Brooklyn for Michael Porter Jr. and a 2032 first-rounder — he brings floor-spacing, cutting and better perimeter defense than MPJ. A free agent at season’s end.
Christian Braun, 25, Guard — The $125 million question. Signed a 5-year, $125M extension after a breakout 2024-25, then played only 44 games last season and fell to 12 points on 30% from deep. Denver is betting the old version returns.
DeMar DeRozan, 37, Guard/Forward — The big summer addition. The six-time All-Star is expected to anchor the second unit as a sixth-man spark plug.
Marvin Bagley III, 27, Center — New backup big. Can score and rebound, though the fit behind Jokić will be watched.
Tyus Jones, 30, Guard — Steady veteran ball-handler; battling Julian Strawther and Alpha Diallo for second-unit guard minutes.
Julian Strawther, 24, Guard — Young shooter in the rotation battle; injured to open camp, but part of the guard mix when healthy.
DaRon Holmes II, 24, Forward/Center — The young frontcourt piece Denver hopes can finally contribute this season.
Cam Whitmore, 24, Forward — Two-way wing acquired from Washington; young scoring punch off the bench.
Head coach: David Adelman — Second season in charge after Michael Malone’s dismissal in April 2025. He’s running a 10-man rotation and searching for answers in the second unit.
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Star Spotlight: Stories You Should Know
The 2023 title run. Sixteen playoff wins, one championship. The 2023 Nuggets swept the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals, then beat the Heat 4-1 for the franchise’s first title. Jokić was Finals MVP; Murray averaged 26.1 points in the Finals; and Ball Arena got its banner. Everything since has been measured against that spring.
The 55-15-15 Christmas game. December 25, 2025: Jokić went for 55 points, 15 rebounds and 15 assists in an overtime win over Minnesota — the first 55-15-15 game in NBA history. Four days later, he hurt his knee. The two moments, back to back, basically sum up the Nuggets’ season.
The MPJ trade. In July 2025, Denver traded championship starter Michael Porter Jr. and an unprotected 2032 first-round pick to the Nets for Cameron Johnson. It was a salary-cap move that saved the Nuggets nearly $17 million a year — and MPJ immediately had a career year in Brooklyn (24.2 ppg), making it sting a little more when Denver crashed out in round one without him.
This Season (2026-27): The Jokić Window
FanDuel has the Nuggets’ win total at 47.5 with title odds of +2500 — down from 54 wins a year ago, which tells you what the market thinks. The core is intact (Jokić, Murray, Gordon, Johnson, Braun), but the bench that couldn’t be trusted last season got thinner: Peyton Watson is gone to Cleveland, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Bruce Brown are gone too. DeRozan and Bagley are the new names. The question is simple: can a healthy Jokić carry this roster back through a West ruled by the 64-win Thunder? Wondering when the Nuggets play? The early schedule won’t wait — and neither can this team.
Mark Your Calendar: Upcoming Games to Watch
Wondering when the Nuggets play next? Here are the early-season dates to circle — grab your Nuggets tickets early for these:
- October 22 — at Oklahoma City Thunder (opener, 9:30 PM ET, ESPN): Straight into the fire. The West’s top team on the road — the two best teams in the West from last season meet in Denver’s opener.
- October 24 — vs New Orleans Pelicans (home opener, Ball Arena): The Mile High faithful get their first look at the new-look Nuggets at home.
- October 26 — vs Golden State Warriors (home): Steph Curry comes to town. Always a measuring stick, always a show.
- October 30 — at Phoenix Suns (away): Early road test against a West rival with title hopes of its own.
- December 27 — vs Indiana Pacers (home): Retro night — the Nuggets debut their new ABA-inspired orange throwback uniforms. A celebration of the franchise’s roots.
Biggest Rivalries — The Wars
1. Oklahoma City Thunder — THE war. The defending champions knocked Denver out of the 2025 semifinals in seven games and hold the West’s best record. The season opens against them. Everything in the West goes through OKC.
2. Minnesota Timberwolves — THE fresh wound. They ended Denver’s 2024 run (7 games) and their 2026 run (6 games, first round). Twice in three years, the Wolves have been the season-killer.
3. Los Angeles Lakers — the playoff ghosts. Denver swept them in the 2023 Western Conference Finals and beat them again in the 2024 first round. Murray hit two game-winners in that 2024 series. The Lakers remember.
4. San Antonio Spurs — the new power. San Antonio crashed the 2026 Western Conference Finals against the Thunder and look like Denver’s biggest long-term obstacle. Wembanyama vs. Jokić is the matchup the whole league wants.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened to the Nuggets in the 2026 playoffs?
The 54-win Nuggets were stunned in the first round, losing 4-2 to the Minnesota Timberwolves — their first first-round exit since 2022.
When the Nuggets play the Thunder in 2026-27?
The Nuggets open the season October 22 at Oklahoma City on ESPN, against the defending champions.
Who are the best Nuggets players right now?
Nikola Jokić, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon and newcomer Cameron Johnson.
What was Jokić's Christmas Day game?
On December 25, 2025, Jokić went for 55 points, 15 rebounds and 15 assists in an overtime win over Minnesota — the first 55-15-15 game in NBA history.
Show Your Colors
Mile High Basketball — at Ball Arena or watching from home, true fans wear it. Gear up with quality fan sportswear — jerseys, tees and athletic wear built for real supporters:
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Sources & official links: Denver Nuggets official site · Denver Nuggets tickets
Mile High Basketball — as long as Jokić wears the gold, anything is possible.
