Nuggets Might Be NBA's Only Hope To Prevent a Thunder Repeat

The Denver Nuggets are likely the Oklahoma City Thunder's biggest threat this season.

May 13, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) is defended by Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (7) on a drive during the first quarter of game five of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

There is no doubt that the Oklahoma City Thunder are the best team in the NBA this season. Even after losing to the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Cup semifinals on Saturday night, the Thunder are still on pace to win 75 games this season, which would be a new NBA record.

Even though the only two teams to beat them this season are the Spurs and the Portland Trail Blazers, there might only be one team capable of taking them down in a seven-game playoff series: the Denver Nuggets.

Nuggets are OKC's biggest threat

May 9, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) defends on Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) in the second half during game three of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Ball Arena. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

As many remember, the Nuggets took the Thunder to seven games in the Western Conference semifinals last postseason, being one of just two teams (the Indiana Pacers) to give them a real challenge on their way to a championship. What did the Nuggets do after that playoff loss? Build a better roster.

Over the offseason, the Nuggets added guys like Cam Johnson, Jonas Valanciunas, Bruce Brown, and Tim Hardaway Jr. to arguably give themselves the deepest team in the league. And, with young guys like Peyton Watson and Spencer Jones emerging as legitimate rotational pieces, the Nuggets are set up for success.

Not only did their roster get better, but they are much better adjusted to head coach David Adelman. When Adelman took over as interim head coach last season, there were just three games left in the regular season. Adelman coached just 17 games last season, and seven of them were against the Thunder.

"At this point, Denver is the only team I can see beating the Thunder four times in seven games," NBA analyst Zach Lowe frankly put it.

With a revamped system and improved roster, the Nuggets have cemented themselves as the second-best team in the West, and as it typically goes, the second-best team in the West is also the second-best team in the NBA.

The Nikola Jokic factor

Nikola Jokic this season:

29.5 PPG
12.3 RPG
10.9 APG
1.4 SPG

and he's shooting 62/42/85% splits. pic.twitter.com/EWmJwBAIDO

— StatMuse (@statmuse) December 12, 2025

The Thunder have the reigning NBA MVP in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, but who won the award in three of the four previous years? Nikola Jokic.

Jokic is a one-of-a-kind superstar, and while the Thunder actually did a good job of defending him at times during their playoff series, he has managed to up his game this season. With the level that Jokic is playing at currently, there seems to be no team that can stop him, including the Thunder.

Unfortunately for NBA fans, the Nuggets and Thunder will not see each other this season until February 1, but that will be the first true test to see who the biggest contender in the West is.

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