Developing: The Denver Nuggets are set to open the 2026-27 NBA season on the road against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night, with Denver coach David Adelman saying his team is entering the year as an underdog.
In a preview published Wednesday, Denver Sports reported that Adelman said, “Vegas doesn’t think we have a chance from what I looked at,” and added that there is “a lot of excitement about chasing as opposed to being chased.” The outlet said the Nuggets were listed at +2500 title odds, while Oklahoma City opened as an 8.5-point favorite for the season opener.
The same report said Denver is trying to reclaim contender status after last season’s first-round exit, and that the opener in Oklahoma City will be an early test for a revamped roster and bench rotation. The article also quoted Nikola Jokic calling the Thunder “definitely a challenge for every team in NBA.”
Other previews published ahead of Thursday’s tipoff pointed to the same matchup and the same broader theme. Field Level Media reported that Denver is opening the season with a “new-look bench unit” in Oklahoma City, while DNVR Sports wrote that the Nuggets will have to earn their way back into the top tier of the Western Conference.
The biggest immediate question is how Denver’s new pieces fit around Jokic, Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon, and whether the Nuggets can start the season with a statement win against one of the league’s most highly regarded teams. What remains unknown for now is whether Adelman’s underdog message will translate into a result on the floor Thursday night.