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Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets host a young and dynamic OKC Thunder at the Ball Arena on Tuesday, Oct. 15. The Nuggets have had a rather dull warm-up run, losing all three of their games — all of which their head coach Michael Malone attributed to lack of conditioning. The Thunder are 3-1 in their four practice skirmishes and are coming off a dominant 117-89 win over the New Zealand Breakers.
The Thunder made some moves this season to bolster their defense. They swapped Aussie PG Josh Giddey for Alex Caruso, added Isiah Hartenstein and re-signed Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe to multi-year deals to ensure the continuity of their core.
The Nuggets have Jokic who continues to be his dominant self. The three-time NBA MVP comes off a double-double performance against the Phoenix Suns despite Denver going down 118-114. Jamal Murray had a forgettable scoring night going 1-6 from the field and 0-3 from beyond the arc. Michael Porter Jr. and Julian Strawther had 21 points each. Russell Westbrook had a quiet day on offense with nine points as well.
Such has been the form of these teams over the last couple of seasons that if they continue their consistent run, they could very well be potential Western Conference finalists taking on each other. Both sides met four times in the regular season last edition with OKC winning 3-1.
OKC Thunder vs Denver Nuggets preview, predicted starting lineups, odds and prediction
The OKC Thunder vs Denver Nuggets clash tips off at 9 p.m. ET. The game can be streamed live on the NBA app with a subscription to the NBA League Pass. Here's a look at the odds as listed at the time of writing.
OKC Thunder vs Denver Nuggets preview
As much as the three preseason losses sting, the Nuggets wouldn't be a worried unit yet. What they would be actively looking to wrinkle out is fixing the conditioning of the side, while also hoping that Murray's knee issue will not sideline him for a good chunk of games in the regular season.
The guard's pick-and-roll chemistry with Nikola Jokic is widely regarded as the best in the league. The absence of a key component could impact their regular season run.
Murray last played 70+ games in the 2018-19 season. His best since is 65 games during their championship run. He was limited to 59 games last season. This time around, the Nuggets have a backup in Westbrook, but the former MVP's production has reduced over time. Christian Braun is an exciting prospect but will take his time to churn out the expected level of production.
The Nuggets can opt to rest Murray on Tuesday to have him in better shape for the grueling regular stretch. Porter Jr. has been good to watch this preseason. The forward was impressive with his off-ball movement. He didn't force his way to get buckets and displayed solid game-awareness en route to his game-high 21 points to tie with Jokic. His chemistry with Aaron Gordon is key behind their formidable frontcourt.
The Thunder addressed two key weaknesses in the roster. With Caruso, they have one of the best point-of-attack defenders and a guard who is adept with his two-way play. Hartenstein solves their offensive rebounding issue. The duo also supercharges OKC's transition offense, regarded as the best in the NBA last season.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander may have been their 30-poing metronome last year, but if there is, and eventually there will be that form regression, the Thunder will need their reserve guards to step up. The non-SGA minutes showed the fragility in offense and shot creation last season. This roster promises youth and style; the question is whether they can be consistent to replicate the last edition's success.
OKC Thunder vs Denver Nuggets predicted starting lineups
If the Nuggets decide to rest Murray for a game, that slots Westbrook as the de facto floor general for the Nuggets.
Denver Nuggets injuries: Jamal Murray (knee) | Day-to-day
The Thunder will likely stick to their lineup so far in the preseason. They rested all of their starters in the last game against the Breakers, but expect them to return for Tuesday's marquee matchup.
OKC Thunder injuries: Per ESPN's injury reports, Jaylin Williams (hamstring) is listed as out.
OKC Thunder vs Denver Nuggets prediction
Expect a bounce-back game from the Denver Nuggets. They may face a stern test against OKC's versatile two-way lineup, but their one-man juggernaut Jokic is more than capable of handling defensive threats. Westbrook will facilitate, and with his creative shot-creation skills, this will be the Nuggets' day. Chalk up a Denver win.
