It is officially NBA opening week, and the Denver Nuggets are gearing up for what could be a championship-minded 2026-27 season. They open their season against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night, facing one of their biggest rivals over the past few years and the 2025 NBA champions, led by back-to-back MVP guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
After going 3-2 in five preseason games, we have a much clearer idea of who will be included in Denver's opening night rotation. Unfortunately, Julian Strawther will be sidelined, and there is still no update on when Spencer Jones will return to the court, so for Thursday's matchup, our rotation prediction will exclude both key bench players.
Starting Lineup
Fortunately for the Nuggets, they know exactly what they're doing with the starting lineup. This offseason, they kept their core five and are now rolling into the 2026-27 season with the same starting lineup that played 23 games together last year. Here's a look at who will start on opening night, barring injuries.
Starting Lineup: Jamal Murray, Christian Braun, Cameron Johnson, Aaron Gordon, Nikola Jokic
In the 23 games these five played together last season, they won 18, which put them on pace for a 64-win campaign, had they stayed healthy. The obvious key for them this season is their health, as Jokic has even said, because everyone knows they are one of the league's premier lineups.
In the preseason finale, a win over the Los Angeles Lakers, this starting lineup really started clicking. Even with rookie Trevon Brazile filling in for Gordon, who was resting, the starters looked ready for the regular season. While they have a tall task ahead of them against the Thunder on opening night, they should be able to compete just fine.
Second Unit
Head coach David Adelman has made it clear he wants to run a 10-player rotation to start the season, and even roll with more of a platoon system, not wanting to play a starter with the second unit. With that in mind, here's what we should expect out of the Nuggets' bench for opening night.
Second Unit: Tyus Jones, Alpha Diallo, DeMar DeRozan, Trevon Brazile, Marvin Bagley III
This bench lineup could look much different when the team is fully healthy, with both Strawther and Spencer Jones likely to be included, but the team should still be excited about this opening night look.
Diallo, filling in for Strawther, could be a huge bright spot for the Nuggets. He has already shown he is the best defender on the roster, and for a team that has struggled on that side of the ball, he could be a real game-changer. Same goes for rookie forward Brazile, who is filling in for Jones, as his athleticism, length, and versatility could help the Nuggets more than expected.
Who's out?
Unfortunately for the next group of players, the Nuggets' rotation is a bit too cramped for them to be included. However, if any more injuries occur, they would be next in line to earn meaningful minutes.
Next in Line: Ryan Nembhard, Cam Whitmore, Bryce Hopkins, Zeke Nnaji, DaRon Holmes
It would be a bit surprising to see any of these players touch the floor on opening night, but it is not impossible. We could see David Adelman give Whitmore a chance if the Nuggets' bench unit is struggling offensively, but Diallo's defense is likely too valuable to move out of the rotation.
The much bigger question will be what the Nuggets decide to do when fully healthy, with at least 12 players more than capable of playing, but for opening night, they likely have their 10-man lineup set in stone.
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