Nikola Jokic and Nuggets could be only team to stop OKC’s back-to-back NBA championship dream
The Oklahoma City Thunder could be on the brink of a dynasty.
Having won the 2024-25 NBA championship, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and co came out the blocks of the 2025-26 campaign hot.
Through their first 49 outings of the regular season, the Thunder sit atop the NBA standings with a 38-11 winning record, though will no longer be able to beat the Golden State Warriors‘ historic 73-9 campaign.
The resurgent Detroit Pistons come in just behind OKC with a stunning 35-12 start, and lead the Eastern Conference standings by 5.5 games to the New York Knicks (30-18).
In the Western Conference, though, it is the Denver Nuggets who find themselves chasing down the Thunder in second place, currently sitting five games back with a 33-16 record.
NBA legend and Hall of Famer Steve Nash believes the Nuggets could be the team to prevent the Thunder from becoming back-to-back champions, largely as a result of perennial MVP candidate, Nikola Jokic.
When asked who he felt could rival OKC for the Larry O’Brien Trophy at the contest between the Orlando Magic and Memphis Grizzlies in London, England, the NBA on Prime analyst did not hesitate.
“[The] Denver Nuggets. I think the Thunder are still the favorite, but I think Denver is in an incredible position,” Nash exclusively told talkSPORT.
“They’re healthy. They were moments away from beating OKC last year, and they have a deeper team this year.
“I think it’s hopefully going to be a series we all get to watch, and hopefully it goes seven games.
“I give the slight edge to OKC – their athleticism and youth, but Denver has been phenomenal. I think they’re a brilliant team that could challenge or beat OKC.”
The two sides have yet to face each other in the 2025-26 season, but in the previous campaign the series was split 2-2.
Across those four games, Gilgeous-Alexander led in points, averaging 30.3 per game shooting at a 49.4 percent clip, along with 5.0 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 1.0 steal per contest.
The Serbian center averaged a triple double, though, scoring 24.5 points per game shooting 52.6 percent from the field, 15.8 rebounds, 11.5 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.8 blocks.
The Nuggets and the Thunder also met in last season’s Western Conference semifinals in a seven-game thriller that ultimately resulted in a 4-3 series win for OKC.
In those seven outings, Jokic averaged 28-14-6 while SGA posted 30-6-7.
The difference ultimately laid in the strength in depth of the two rosters, with the Nuggets having just four players average double-digit points, whilst the Thunder had five.
But in 2026, the Nuggets have brought in reinforcements, trading controversial figure Michael Porter Jr. to the Brooklyn Nets for forward Cameron Johnson, before bringing Bruce Brown back to the team, along with Tim Hardaway Jr..
They also sought more size, and brought in veteran center Jonas Valanciunas via a trade from the Sacramento Kings.
The roster depth is noticeable, having six players averaging double-digit points, with four of those managing over 14 per contest.
This now matches that of the Thunder, who seen former No. 2 overall pick Chet Holmgren take some strides in his development, having already played more games this season than last.
The first of their four regular season meetings takes place on Sunday February 1, which will be the first opportunity to see whether the Nuggets can run the Thunder closer than ever before.
Europeans taking the NBA by storm
Europe’s stamp on the NBA has been evident over the last decade.
Some of the biggest names in the league today are European, including Jokic, as well as Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic and 22-year-old French sensation Victor Wembanyama.
With these names lighting up the NBA on a nightly basis, Nash – one of the best players in NBA history to never win a championship – has seen a notable rise in interest in the sport worldwide.
“It’s been an incredible growth throughout the world,” he talkSPORT. “We’re having players come from all over the world, more international players, but also more international fans.
“The game is going to many countries. We’re getting more fans familiar with the NBA. It’s been really fun to see the growth globally in basketball, and particularly in the NBA.”
But it’s not just that more Europeans are making NBA rosters, it’s the fact that they are consistently in the running for some of the league’s most prestigious individual awards.
This includes MVP – something Nash won twice in his 18-year career – and the Defensive Player of the Year award.
“That’s probably the biggest proof point of the growth we have. The last seven MVPs have been international players,” he added. “That was something I don’t know that I would have ever believed if you told me 20-25 years ago.
Nash’s NBA on Prime colleague Dirk Nowitzki was the first European player to win the coveted MVP award, with the German doing so in the 2006-07 season with the Dallas Mavericks.
Europeans then had to wait until 2018-19 when Milwaukee Bucks superstar Antetokounmpo got his hands on the award in back-to-back seasons before Jokic won three in four seasons between 2020 and 2024.
“More and more players from international leagues are coming to the NBA, but not only coming to the NBA, having success,” Nash explained. “It’s truly a global sport, and it’s a lot of fun to watch.
“I love the diversity.”
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