Nikola Jokic, Nuggets to open season with epic MVP showdown vs. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder

The Denver Nuggets will start their new season facing a familiar foe: The Oklahoma City Thunder. The contest will feature the last two MVPs, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic, so it is expected to be a good one.

The Nuggets will visit the Thunder at Paycom Center on October 22, according to the schedule of NBA Opening Week released on Tuesday. Denver will be the second assignment of Oklahoma City, which will battle the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center on opening night on October 20.

The Nuggets will try to exact revenge on the Thunder, who won their head-to-head series last season, 3-1.

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Once again, Jokic will be at the forefront of Denver’s attack. He is coming off a second straight year averaging a triple-double, tallying 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds, and a career-high 10.7 assists. He also logged 1.4 steals.

Despite his all-around brilliance, the 31-year-old center lost to Gilgeous-Alexander for MVP. SGA won for the second consecutive time. Jokic, meanwhile, is a three-time winner.

The Nuggets have maintained their core, featuring Jokic, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, Christian Braun, and Cam Johnson. Peyton Watson, meanwhile, is still in a stalemate with the front office regarding his contract extension. He reportedly rejected Denver’s offer of $70 million for five years.

The Nuggets are aiming to return to the NBA Finals for the first time since winning the title in 2023. They suffered a first-round exit against the Timberwolves in the playoffs in April.

Following their early elimination, Jokic challenged Denver to be better, maintaining that they were “far away” from being a championship team.

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