Who’s going to stop the Oklahoma City Thunder? The Denver Nuggets could be the answer to that when it is all said and done this Thursday on the court when Nikola Jokic and company host the unbeaten Thunder at Ball Arena. Will the Thunder go 2-0 this season against Denver and improve to 8-0 overall? Or, will the Nuggets become the first team to put a blemish on Oklahoma City’s record?

Catch this game live on Thursday, November 7, 2024 at 10 AM, Manila time

Away: Oklahoma City Thunder (7-0 / 4-0 Away)

Projected Starting Five:

• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
• Cason Wallace
• Luguentz Dort
• Jalen Williams
• Chet Holmgren

The Thunder are the only undefeated team in the Western Conference, and there’s no telling when the good times will stop for this exciting young squad. Oklahoma City improved to 7-0 overall this season after dismantling the Orlando Magic at home last Tuesday, 102-86. Among the teams the Thunder have already victimized this season is Denver, which Oklahoma beat on Oct. 25 in Mile High City, 102-87.

 The duo of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren proved to be too much for the Nuggets,  with the former scoring 28 points and the latter producing 25 markers. But it was OKC’s defense that really gave the Thunder the edge over the Nuggets, who were held to only 35.7 FG% in that contest. Nikola Jokic was also just limited to 16 points on 6-for-13 shooting from the floor. It could get harder for the Nuggets to penetrate OKC’s defense this Thursday, with both Aaron Gordon and Jamal Murray out with injuries. The Thunder are 4-0 against the spread in their last four games away from home.

Home: Denver Nuggets (4-3/ 2-2 Home)

Projected Starting Five:

• Russell Westbrook
• Christian Braun
• Michael Porter Jr.
• Peyton Watson
• Nikola Jokic

The Nuggets had a slow start to the season, as they went winless in their first two games, but they have won four of five outings since. However, Denver suffered a setback just when it looked like it was cruising again, with both Aaron Gordon and Jamal Murray sidelined with injuries. Gordon is reportedly out for multiple weeks with a right calf strain while Murray is to miss at least another game due to a concussion. Murray’s absence in the last two Nuggets games didn’t prevent his team from winning as Denver went 2-0 in those contests but it will be much different this time around with Gordon also knocked out of the active roster.

 That means likely another start for Russell Westbrook in lieu of Murray and potentially Peyton Watson stepping in to fill the void temporarily left by Gordon. In any case, Denver’s direction will be heavily dictated by Jokic, who’s been putting up MVP numbers since that loss to OKC. The Serbian big man has averaged 31.8 points on 55.2 FG%, 12.7 rebounds, and 9.8 assists in Denver’s last six games. In the Nuggets’ 121-119 win last Tuesday at home over the Toronto Raptors, Jokic had 28 points, 14 rebounds, and 13 assists. Just another at the office for him.

Picks

Spread: Denver Nuggets (7)

Over/Under: Under (221.5)