Wednesday, Sep 30, 2026

The Nuggets briefing

Training camp, day 2 in Boulder · 2025–26 final 54–28, out in the first round (2–4 vs Minnesota) · preseason opens Sun Oct 4 vs Jazz at CU Events Center · Jokić says he’ll sign his extension next summer · DK title +2500, Northwest +900 · Kalshi title 3¢.

Published Wed Sep 30, 2026 · ~2:45 PM MDT Sources below each card

Record

0–02026–27 not started

No games played yet. Last season (2025–26): 54–28 (.659), No. 3 seed in the West, 2nd in the Northwest, 10 games behind Oklahoma City (64–18). Playoffs: lost West first round 2–4 to No. 6 Minnesota.

How last season ended · West 1st Round vs Timberwolves

Denver won Game 1 at Ball Arena 116–105, then dropped Game 2 at home 119–114 and both games in Minneapolis (113–96, 112–96). A 125–113 home win in Game 5 forced a Game 6, which Minnesota won 110–98 on Thursday, Apr 30 at Target Center.

In the clincher the Timberwolves, missing their top three guards to injury, went big and won the paint 64–40 and the glass 50–33 (AP). Jaden McDaniels scored 32 with 10 rebounds; Terrence Shannon Jr. added 24 in a surprise start; Rudy Gobert had 10 points, 13 rebounds and 8 assists. For Denver, Nikola Jokić had 28 points, 9 rebounds and 10 assists and Cam Johnson scored 27 (5-of-10 from three). Jamal Murray shot 4-of-17 for 12.

Carry-forward: At Monday’s media day, head coach David Adelman called the playoffs “a bad 10 days” and said he put too much on Murray last season. His stated camp focus is transition defense. Peyton Watson was traded to Cleveland; DeMar DeRozan signed a one-year deal; Dave Joerger joined as top assistant.

Sources: ESPN 2025–26 standings ESPN playoff results ESPN / AP Game 6 recap Roundtable (media day) Denver Post via Kano (media day)

Last game

ESPN box score

West 1st Round Game 6 · Thu Apr 30, 2026 · @ Timberwolves · ESPN

Timberwolves 110, Nuggets 98 · Target Center · Minnesota wins series 4–2

Denver: Jokić 28 pts, 9 reb, 10 ast (11-19 FG) · C. Johnson 27 pts, 8 reb (5-10 3PT) · Hardaway Jr. 13 · Murray 12 pts, 6 reb, 4 ast (4-17 FG) · S. Jones 8.
Team: 34-75 FG · 10-27 3PT · 20-25 FT · 33 reb (6 off) · 24 ast.

Minnesota: McDaniels 32 pts, 10 reb · Shannon Jr. 24 · Randle 18 · Reid 15 · Gobert 10 pts, 13 reb, 8 ast · 50 reb (19 off).
Scoring: MIN 29-28-25-28 · DEN 30-20-24-24.

Sources: ESPN summary API, event 401869402 ESPN / AP recap

ESPN game page

Preseason · Sun Oct 4 · vs Jazz

Venue: CU Events Center · Boulder, CO · HOME (not Ball Arena)
Tip: 5:00 PM MDT
TV: No broadcast listed by ESPN yet
Context: First of five preseason games. Camp opened Tue Sep 29 at the same building. Utah went 22–60 last season.
Regular season: Opens Thu Oct 22 @ Thunder · 7:30 PM MDT · ESPN.

Sources: ESPN DEN schedule API Denver Gazette (camp)

Sportsbook odds

ESPN / DraftKings

Bottom line: There are no lines on Sunday’s preseason game. For the season, books have Denver as a second-tier contender: +2500 for the title, +1100 to win the West, +900 to win the Northwest behind a heavy Thunder favorite. DraftKings’ win total is 48.5, below last season’s 54.

Oct 4 vs Jazz (preseason): Lines not posted yet.

Opener Oct 22 @ OKC (DraftKings via ESPN): OKC −7.5 (−110) / DEN +7.5 (−110) · total 232.5 (o −105 / u −115; opened 231.5) · ML OKC −278 / DEN +225.

Season win total: DraftKings 48.5 (Over −110; Under price not captured) · FanDuel 47.5 · BetMGM 49.5 (per Sporting News). Futures via ESPN/DraftKings as of Wed ~2:20 PM MDT.

Sources: ESPN scoreboard / DK (Oct 22) ESPN conference futures Sporting News win totals

Kalshi markets

Kalshi

No Nuggets game market yet — Kalshi’s open KXNBAGAME markets only cover Oct 20 opening-night games.

Market	Ticker	Last	Bid / Ask	Prev
Nuggets win 2027 title	`KXNBA-27-DEN`	3¢	2¢ / 3¢	3¢
Nuggets win West	`KXNBAWEST-27-DEN`	6¢	5¢ / 6¢	6¢
Nuggets win Northwest	`KXNBANORTHWEST-26-DEN`	18¢ (stale)	7¢ / 10¢	18¢
Thunder win Northwest	`KXNBANORTHWEST-26-OKC`	73¢	69¢ / 72¢	73¢
Nuggets 45+ wins	`KXNBAWINS-27DEN-45`	64¢	58¢ / 63¢	65¢
Nuggets 50+ wins	`KXNBAWINS-27DEN-50`	50¢	49¢ / 53¢	52¢
Nuggets 55+ wins	`KXNBAWINS-27DEN-55`	17¢	16¢ / 17¢	17¢

Title leaders on Kalshi: OKC 21¢, SAS 21¢, PHI 11¢, NYK 9¢, MIN 6¢, MIA 6¢. The Northwest DEN last trade (18¢) is thin and old; the live book (7¢ bid / 10¢ ask) is a better read. Fetched Wed Sep 30 · ~2:30 PM MDT from the Kalshi public API (*_dollars fields). These are prediction-market share prices, not sportsbook odds. First publish, so there is no day-over-day change yet.

Sources: API KXNBA-27 API West DEN API Northwest API DEN win totals

Injuries · training camp

ESPN DEN injuries

Player	Pos	Injury / note	Status
Trevon Brazile	F	Undisclosed. Sat out Jul 19 Summer League finale (old listing)	Day-to-day (ESPN, Jul 19; not updated)

No current injury designations. ESPN’s team injury feed is empty apart from the stale July Summer League item above. The NBA’s official injury report doesn’t start until games begin. Adelman singled out Aaron Gordon as fluid and available on the first day of camp (Denver Gazette).

Sources: ESPN injuries API ESPN core injuries API Denver Gazette

Upcoming

Pre vs Jazz · Sun Oct 4 · 5:00 PM MDT · CU Events Center, Boulder (TV not listed) Tickets
Pre @ Jazz · Tue Oct 6 · 7:00 PM MDT · Delta Center (TV not listed) Tickets
Pre vs Bulls · Sun Oct 11 · 7:00 PM MDT · Ball Arena · ESPN Tickets
Pre @ Clippers · Wed Oct 14 · 8:30 PM MDT · Intuit Dome (TV not listed) Tickets
Pre @ Lakers · Fri Oct 16 · 8:30 PM MDT · crypto.com Arena · ESPN Tickets
Opener @ Thunder · Thu Oct 22 · 7:30 PM MDT · Paycom Center · ESPN Tickets

Sources: ESPN preseason schedule API ESPN DEN schedule Tickets: host team’s official seller (Nuggets/Clippers/Lakers/Thunder via Ticketmaster, Jazz via SeatGeek, Boulder via CU Athletics). National TV only; local (Altitude) listings not in feed.

Ball Arena & team news

nuggets.com news

Camp opened Tue Sep 29 in Boulder after Monday’s media day at Ball Arena. Arena: KSE’s ~$135M Ball Arena renovation was announced Sep 18. No new arena item since then.

Jokić leaves no doubt on Nuggets future, says he will re-sign ESPN · Sep 28, 2026
Jokić said he plans to sign his extension when it’s offered next summer.
Media day: front office on Peyton Watson trade, DeMar DeRozan on role Denver Post (via Kano) · Sep 28, 2026
Adelman worries about leaning too hard on Murray against full-court pressure. Tyus Jones is slated as the backup point guard, and Cam Johnson is expected to handle the ball more.
Aaron Gordon adjusts routine; Cam Whitmore shines on day one Denver Gazette · Sep 29, 2026
Gordon and Whitmore were the first names out of Adelman’s mouth after the first practice. Dave Joerger joins as top assistant to “help with the offense.”
KSE announces $135 million Ball Arena renovations Denver Gazette · Sep 18, 2026
The plan adds a new glass-front east entrance facing downtown, wider concourses and three new premium clubs. It’s privately funded and phased: construction starts summer 2027, with completion targeted for the 2028–29 seasons. A Speer Blvd pedestrian bridge is expected around 2029.
Ball Arena to undergo massive renovation (KSE release) ColoradoAvalanche.com · Sep 18, 2026
Official release. A Site Development Plan was submitted to the City of Denver, and River Mile redevelopment is to follow.

Also: NBA.com Northwest offseason recap · Denverite on River Mile

Championship odds · top 5 by conference

ESPN futures (DraftKings)

2027 NBA Finals winner, DraftKings via ESPN futures, as of Wed Sep 30, 2026 · ~2:20 PM MDT. First publish, so there is no day-over-day change yet.

West

Oklahoma City Thunder+270
San Antonio Spurs+270
Denver Nuggets+2500
Minnesota Timberwolves+2500
Los Angeles Lakers+3500

Nuggets are tied for 3rd in the West with Minnesota at +2500. West winner: DEN +1100 (OKC +145, SAS +160).

East

New York Knicks+900
Philadelphia 76ers+900
Boston Celtics+1300
Cleveland Cavaliers+2200
Detroit Pistons+2500

Toronto is also +2500, tied with Detroit. The Knicks are defending champions.

Source: ESPN NBA futures (DraftKings) · cross-check VegasInsider futures