With a chance to start their 2026-27 season with a statement road win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Denver Nuggets could not finish the job. The Nuggets looked solid to start the new season, taking an early lead over the Thunder in Thursday night's matchup, but they could not hang on, ultimately losing 96-84.
Last season, the Nuggets scored under 100 points just twice. Obviously, it is a bit of a shock to see them finish with just 84 points on Thursday. It was a slow offensive game overall, with both teams shooting below 40% from the field and 30% from beyond the arc. Still, the Thunder's defense clearly gave the Nuggets' offense some problems.
We should try to avoid overreacting to the Nuggets' season opener, but here are a few key takeaways from Thursday night's road loss:
A second-half disaster
The Nuggets had a chance to start their season 1-0. They went into halftime with a four-point lead, and their overall first-half performance was actually solid. The bench was serviceable, the defense was clicking, and we got a glimpse of the Nuggets team we had hoped for.
However, a flip switched in the second half. The Nuggets scored just 16 points in the third quarter and 15 in the fourth before emptying the bench, while allowing the Thunder to score 52 total second-half points.
Keep in mind, Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander did not make a field goal in the first half, so it was only a matter of time until he got Oklahoma City's offense clicking, but regardless, it was a demoralizing second half for Denver.
It is worth noting that starting forward Cameron Johnson did not play in the second half due to an injury, and despite him being an obvious high-impact player, this collapse cannot be attributed to his absence.
Trevon Brazile shines in his debut
With Spencer Jones sidelined, we expected second-round rookie Trevon Brazile to carve out a significant role in Thursday night's rotation. Head coach David Adelman quickly showed how much he trusts him, as he was the first player off the bench, and he did not disappoint.
Brazile immediately showed how he can make an impact by grabbing eight rebounds in five first-quarter minutes. Brazile ended up finishing with a team-high 12 rebounds (3 offensive) in just 18 minutes of action. While he struggled offensively with just four points on 1-6 shooting from the field and 0-4 from deep, his hustle and willingness to crash the boards, using his elite athleticism to soar over everyone else, are extremely valuable traits.
Brazile showed the coaching staff that he deserves a consistent spot in the rotation, and they will have a tall task ahead of them figuring out what to do with the rookie forward once Jones returns from injury.
Of course, it was far from a perfect debut, but he exceeded expectations, and the organization should be loving what they saw from him. Not to mention, he was steadily defending multiple positions throughout the night, showcasing what he brings as an all-around difference-maker.
More of the same
While this is a new-look Nuggets team and it is a brand-new season, this loss felt like more of the same for Denver. They turned the ball over 22 times, compared to Oklahoma City's 12, and they shot 38% from the field, 27% from beyond the arc, and 64% from the free-throw line.
It was simple mistakes that destroyed the Nuggets' night, but the Thunder defense certainly deserves some credit. While it would've been great to see this Nuggets team at full strength, with Julian Strawther, Spencer Jones, and Cameron Johnson all healthy, this was simply a poor loss for Denver.
After they got dismantled in the first round of the playoffs last season, we would've expected the Nuggets to learn their lesson. However, this felt exactly like one of last season's playoff games. They let the Thunder control the game down the stretch, and it completely threw them off; it felt like there was no hope for them to recover from that point.
The Nuggets will have a good chance to bounce back and earn their first win of the season on Saturday when they host the New Orleans Pelicans.
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