Nuggets Fall to Thunder 96-84 in Season Opener
Denver struggled offensively in its season debut, highlighted by a tough night for Jamal Murray and an uneven performance from DeMar DeRozan.
The Denver Nuggets started their 2026-27 NBA season with a disappointing 96-84 road loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night. Despite entering the matchup with high expectations, the Nuggets' offense faltered significantly in the second half, registering their lowest-scoring game since January 2024.
Oklahoma City secured the victory behind 21 points from Jalen Williams and 12 points and 17 rebounds from Chet Holmgren. The Thunder overcame an uncharacteristically difficult shooting night from two-time reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who finished with 17 points after shooting 6-for-19 from the field. Gilgeous-Alexander failed to reach the 20-point threshold for the first time in 141 games.
For Denver, Aaron Gordon served as a bright spot on a difficult offensive night. Gordon led the team with 20 points, shooting 6-for-9 from the field and 3-for-4 from beyond the arc in 29 minutes of action.
Meanwhile, guard Jamal Murray endured a difficult outing for the Nuggets. Murray finished with as many turnovers as points, recording six of each while shooting 2-for-11 from the floor. Oklahoma City's defensive pressure consistently stifled him throughout the contest.
DeMar DeRozan made his regular-season debut for Denver, contributing 13 points and five turnovers on 5-9 shooting. Observers noted that the second-unit offense often appeared to stall when the ball was in his hands, confirming some preseason concerns regarding his fit within the team's offensive scheme.
Rookie Trevon Brazile provided a positive spark off the bench for the Nuggets in his NBA debut. Filling in for the injured Spencer Jones, the 23-year-old rookie utilized his length and athleticism to grab eight rebounds in just five first-quarter minutes.
While the season opener exposed clear offensive struggles for Denver, analysts suggest it is too early to overreact to the outlier performance. The team will look to make necessary adjustments as they progress through the grueling regular-season schedule.