Eight must-see games of the Denver Nuggets 2024-25 season

The Denver Nuggets schedule came out in full on Thursday ahead of the 2024-25 season.

The team is at an inflection point two years after a title and on the verge of handing out some big extensions. The Nuggets are coming off their winningest regular season in franchise history, as a follow-up to that championship. Given their 2024 playoff run ended early, and a lot of folks blamed fatigue for trying too hard in the regular season, this could be the least anticipated regular season from a good version of the Nuggets in franchise history. Still, the team will need to win about 50 games to get into the playoffs comfortably and if those extensions aren’t signed—the team will need to keep showing their capability otherwise panic and moves could come.

Not every game will matter even if they all do in the standings. Ahead of the season tip, these are eight games that will end up being must-see meaningful tests for the Nuggets in the coming season. Of course, a few more big-time games will pop up, especially later on, but any 82-game NBA season ends up coming down to about 10 big games along the way.

Eight must-see Nuggets games of 2024-25

Oct. 24: vs Oklahoma City Thunder

In what will be a showdown of the West’s top two regular season teams from a season ago, Denver’s big offseason addition, Russell Westbrook will be playing against the franchise that made him famous. More importantly, oddsmakers have the upstart Thunder as the favorites to come out of the West this season with the Nuggets as the second-most likely. When the two meet on this night, there should be fireworks, or maybe a dentist’s chair. As the Nuggets floundered to the tune of a 1-3 record against OKC last season, Nuggets head coach Michael Malone said playing their Northwest Division foes was like getting a root canal. The tip-off game will be on TNT at 8 p.m. and it’s one of the seven of the team’s first 10 games which are at home.

Nov. 1: AT Minnesota Timberwolves

This will be the first time that the Nuggets meet the team that ended their season ago. Both teams come back with very similar units with the Wolves actually keeping more of their crew together. Will Anthony Edwards take an MVP-level leap coming off the Olympics? Can Rudy Gobert follow up on his DPOY efforts? The big and bad Wolves will be a get-back game for the Nuggets, who will no doubt have some fire playing this team for years to come. The game will be on ESPN at 7:30 p.m. The game is part of a back-to-back, ending a three-game road trip with the Nuggets returning to Ball Arena the next night.

Dec. 25: AT Phoenix Suns

This will be the fifth time the Nuggets play on Christmas in the last six years, showing they are one of the league’s premier teams—which is obvious since they won a title two seasons ago and their best player won last year’s MVP for a third time. That best player went nuclear the last time he saw the Suns on Christmas, as Nikola Jokic tallied a 41-point, 15-rebound, 15-assist triple-double in a Nuggets overtime win that was capped by the dunk of the year from Aaron Gordon. The game meant a lot since it was the first time Denver was whole facing the Suns, Jamal Murray was back, after being swept by the franchise in the playoffs. Not only is this a rematch of that playoff series from 2021 and the Christmas game from 2022, but it’s a rematch from the 2023 playoffs. This time the Suns are stronger, adding former Nuggets Monte Morris and Collin Gillespie to their backcourt this offseason as well as Tyus Jones, to supplement their big three of Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal. The game will be on ESPN at 8:30 p.m.

January 7: vs Boston Celtics

The Champs are here! The last two ring-winners square off at Ball Arena in what is a homecoming for Colorado kid, NBA champion and USA gold medalist Derrick White. Over the last few seasons, the handful of times these two teams have met have led to great games. Nikola Jokic takes advantage of the smaller C’s while Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown try to out-gas the Nuggets guards. Good stuff! The game will be on TNT at 8 p.m.

Jan. 21: vs Philadelphia 76ers

In what has become a must-follow event whether the former MVP does or doesn’t play, what Joel Embiid does or ducks on this night is something every NBA fan will be watching. Embiid has only twice played in Denver in his career, skipping out on a road duel with Nikola Jokic every year the two have fought for the award. The last time Embiid played in the Mile High City was in 2019 when a Jokic game-winner capped a 21-point fourth-quarter comeback. The game will be on TNT at 8 p.m., with neither team playing the day before or after this contest.

Jan. 29: AT New York Knicks

This list of eight includes the six teams with the highest odds to win it all per the sportsbooks and the Knicks are coming off a great season coupled with a perfect offseason. The team added Mikal Bridges to the Jalen Brunson-led squad and they’re expected to be one of the toughest teams in the NBA. Plus this game is at the famed Madison Square Garden, so it should be a very fun time. The game is on ESPN at 5:30 p.m.

Feb. 6: vs Orlando Magic

One of the most important Nuggets ever, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope returns to Denver after signing a big-time contract to join the Magic this summer. Caldwell-Pope was the last piece put in place to the Nuggets championship roster, acquired in a major trade that moved long-tenured players Monte Morris and Will Barton to Washington. KCP immediately improved Denver’s defense and answered the team’s long issues with smaller shifty guards. Caldwell-Pope was also a firey three-point shooter at a Mile High, hitting 42% of his deep balls. Getting KCP has been the most important move of Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth’s time on the job thus far. How Denver chooses to celebrate KCP and how he plays this night will be a fun watch. Plus, the Magic are coming off a really good season where they hosted a playoff series. The game is on local TV and League Pass at 7 p.m.

April 11: vs Memphis Grizzlies

The two top teams in the West from the 2023-24 season when the Nuggets won, the Grizzlies have been tanked by injuries but many expect them to storm back this season. If that’s the case, this has the chance to be the lone game against a west playoff team in Denver’s final six contests. They travel to Golden State, host Indiana, travel to Sacramento, host Memphis then travel to Houston. One of these west teams will get into the playoffs but maybe just one and my bet it’s Memphis and the Nuggets might be fighting with them for seeding. Plus when these two teams have squared off healthy in the Ja Mortant/Jokic times, the games have been very fun. The final home game is on local TV and League Pass at 7 p.m., and it’s one of the seven of the team’s last 10 games that are at home.