The five most important games of this coming Nuggets season

The NBA dropped their entire regular season schedule on Thursday and in it we found out about 73 Denver Nuggets games that had yet to leak.

To make it easy we went ahead and circled five regular season games that should sway how Denver stacks up this year. Yeah, the Nuggets could technically lose all five and still win 77 games, but we know that’s unlikely to happen because these dates should represent a good test for the team.

In 2022-23 the Nuggets went 53-29 to win the west, one of the worst records to win a conference in NBA history, which makes sense given Denver was so far ahead they took their foot off the gas for six weeks. When the playoffs started it was pedal to the metal no problem, as the Nuggets flipped the switch to go 16-4 en route to the franchise’s first championship.

Game 1: Oct. 24, Lakers at Nuggets (opening night)

The NBA season is starting out with a bang. The beef of the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers continues as the foes from the 2023 Western Conference Finals will match up to open the year. The Nuggets swept the Lakers out of the playoffs, marking the first time LeBron James had been swept that early in the playoffs. L.A. is back with vengeanceas the face of the league’s team ‘won the offseason‘ and can’t seem get the Nuggets out of their heads. The teams have have feuded since that series ended in Los Angeles. Michael Malone threw shots and James following Denver’s NBA Finals win over the Heat. The poking came as James weakly suggested he may retire after losing to the Nuggets and the bear was provoked months later throwing a shot back at his former coach Malone, from France. Darvin Ham has also joined the fray of the beef, all the while a few Nuggets have talked about how much meaning beating the Lakers carried.

On top of that, it’ll be the night the Nuggets get their rings and raise their first championship banner.

MVP matchup (quack): Jan. 27, 76ers at Nuggets

Last year’s MVP winner Joel Embiid comes into Denver to face off with the man he stole the award from—Nikola Jokic. Joker won the prior two MVPs and wound up Finals MVP last year, claiming a title while Embiid failed out of the playoffs in embarrassing fashion. The two have not squared up in Denver since 2019, thanks to Embiid’s continual ducks of Jokic. Will we finally see the star big men battle at a Mile High? The NBA did a good job of making sure this ABC game is not part of a back-to-back or tough travel stretch for either team, clearing the way for no last second calf injuries…

Finals preview?: Jan. 19/March 7, Celtics vs Nuggets

Boston and Denver should be the two best teams in the NBA this coming season. Both their January square off in New England and the return game back in Colorado in March are rested games for both teams. If the newly acquired Kristaps Porzingis is healthy, it should be a matchup of two great bigs with Jokic. Then Aaron Gordon guarding MVP hopeful Jayson Tatum and Jamal Murray matching up with the league’s highest-paid player in Jalen Brown. Last season’s square up in Denver was an impressive Nuggets showing and these game could shape up to be an NBA Finals preview with each topping their conference among oddsmakers. In fact, Boston was moments from playing Denver in last year’s Finals but Miami held the Celtics off in Game 7l

Suns showdown: March 5: Suns at Nuggets

The Nuggets and Suns play three times this coming season but March 5 should be the one where both teams are peaking. It’s not too late in the season like the March 27th contest, too early or part of a back-to-back like Dec. 1, it’s just right. This game in Denver comes against the team that won the most games against the Nuggets in the playoffs last year—two. By then the team should have geled, which they didn’t get a great chance to do after trading for Kevin Durant at the deadline. They added Bradley Beal this offseason and this contest should come a few weeks after this season’s deadline, meaning we may be seeing either team pickup a player with this matchup in mind, given their likely playoff foes and expected to top the conference. If this game does carry a lot of meaning, then the one on March 27 in Denver may carry some weight too. Either way, the Nuggets seemed to slay the Suns demon off their backs on X-mas last year but now it’s Phoenix  who may seek vengeance after their embarrassing Round 2 Game 6 exit from the postseason this spring.

How the west was won: March 25, Grizzlies at Nuggets

Nuggets against Grizzlies was twice an awesome game last year in Denver. The first around the holidays featured some of the best Jokic passes and an amazing first half from the Nuggets. The second game in March sealed the West for the Nuggets. Now these two will meet a few times, after Ja Morant’s 25-game suspension ends is Dec. 28 in Memphis but both teams are on a back-to-back. The two will meet for real on March 25. Then again on April 14 as the last game of the season, if it matters.

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Given 53 wins is just the seventh-best regular season in club history, there’s a fair amount of room for these Nuggets to grow over the regular season and become even better.

Some other notable games:

• Nuggets at Bucks on Feb. 12, the Bucks will host Miami on Feb. 13. Denver and Milwaukee have a well-rested matchup two weeks earlier on Jan. 29 in the Mile High City.
• The Nuggets play early in the afternoon against the Warriors on Christmas Day on ABC.
• First overall pick Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs will play Jokic and the Nuggets for the first time and it’s in Denver on Nov. 26. Denver plays in Austin against the Spurs on March 15.
• The Nuggets play Finals foe Heat in Denver on Feb. 29 and in Miami on March 13.
• Bruce Brown comes back to Denver with the Pacers on Jan. 14. to get his ring.
• The Nuggets are on ABC on March 2 at the Lakers.
• Again on March 17 the Nuggets are on ABC in Dallas against the Mavs.

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