Nuggets schedule breakdown: Key matchups, toughest stretches and more

You can now plan out the next 9 months of your life — the Denver Nuggets‘ 2024-25 regular season schedule has been released.

Here’s what you need to know.

A manageable start

The Nuggets open the season with 7 of their first 10 games at home — that’s going to be key for a team who’s integrating a bunch of new pieces this season (Russell Westbrook, Dario Saric, and Christian Braun likely into the starting lineup) and with their top two players coming off short, Olympic summers (Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray).

These first 10 games are stocked with good teams (Thunder, Clippers, Timberwolves, Mavs), but they will be played within the friendly confines of Ball Arena where the Nuggets are ridiculously good and only lost eight games all of last season. It’s also a widely-held NBA belief that playing good teams at the beginning of the season is better than playing them later.

First 10 games

• Oct. 24. vs. Thunder (TNT)
• Oct. 26 vs. Clippers
• Oct. 28 at Raptors
• Oct. 29 at Nets
• Nov. 1 at Timberwolves
• Nov. 2 vs. Jazz
• Nov. 4 vs. Raptors
• Nov. 6 vs. Thunder
• Nov. 8 vs. Heat
• Nov. 10 vs. Mavs

There’s a good chance the Nuggets get off to a strong start this season. The vibes should be positive heading into the middle of November.

According to Presidual, which factors in home/road rest advantages, travel, altitude, etc., the Nuggets enter the season with the NBA’s easiest strength of schedule.

You’re going to hate the Thunder

I respect the OKC Thunder. They’ve been expertly built and put together through the draft with a patient and prudent approach that could put them in position to dominate the NBA for years to come.

But I think Nuggets fans will grow to hate the Thunder this season.

The Nuggets play the Thunder four times — opening night in Denver, then on Nov. 6 also in Denver. The two other matchups come on March 9 and 10, a back-to-back where both games are in OKC. It’s in the middle of a tough stretch of games and could decide the head-to-head tiebreaker between the Thunder and Nuggets.

A lot of back-to-backs

The Nuggets play 16 sets of back-to-backs this season, but six of those have no travel. Sixteens is about one more back-to-back than the league-average of 14.9 this coming season.

Here’s a complete list.

Second night of back-to-back opponents

• Oct. 28 at Nets
• Nov. 2 vs. Jazz
• Nov. 23 at Lakers
• Dec. 8 at Hawks
• Dec. 23 at Suns
• Dec. 28 at Pistons
• Jan. 4 at Spurs
• Jan. 8 vs. Clippers
• Jan. 15 vs. Rockets
• Feb. 1 at Hornets
• Feb. 6. vs. Magic
• Feb. 28 at Pistons
• March 10 at Thunder
• March 15 vs. Wizards
• March 24 vs. Bulls
• April 2 vs. Spurs

National TV spotlight

The Nuggets play 22 national TV games this season (ABC, ESPN or TNT), which is the same amount they were scheduled to play last season. It’s the 6th-most national TV games in the league behind the Lakers, Celtics, Warriors, Knicks and Spurs.

That feels about right.

Some key national TV matchups

• Opening night vs. Thunder (TNT)
• Nov. 1 at Timberwolves (ESPN)
• Nov. 22 vs. Mavs (ESPN)
• Dec. 3 vs. Warriors (TNT)
• Christmas Day at Suns (ESPN)
• Jan. 7 vs. Celtics (TNT)
• Jan 21 vs. 76ers (TNT)
• Jan. 25 at Timberwolves (ABC)
• Feb. 22 vs. Lakers (ABC)
• Feb. 27 at Bucks (TNT)
• March 2 at Celtics (ABC)

Toughest part of the schedule

From Nov. 15 through Dec. 25 (immediately following the 10th game of the season), Denver plays 12 of 16 games on the road. The four home games during that stretch are also against the Mavs, Knicks, Warriors and Suns.

Brutal.

It’s a tough portion of the schedule that includes a season-long 5-game road trip, which the Nuggets have two of this season (Cavs, Wizards, Hawks, Blazers, Pelicans).

Games you have to circle

• Nov. 4 vs. Raptors (Bruce Brown comes to town)
• Nov. 10 vs. Mavs (Luka Doncic vs. Jokic)
• Nov. 23 at Lakers ( (Russell Westbrook vs. the team and fanbase that hates him)
• Dec. 23 vs. Suns (Kevin Durant vs. Nuggets Twitter)
• Jan. 3 vs. Spurs (Victor Wembenyama)
• Jan. 7 vs. Celtics (potential Finals preview)
• Jan 21 vs. 76ers (Joel Embiid will maybe play)
• Feb. 6 vs. Magic (Kentavious Caldwell-Pope returns to Denver)
• March 12 vs. Timberwolves (playoff rematch)
• March 15 vs. Wizards (Jokic 100 point game)

Overall thoughts

This feels like a fine schedule for Denver — relatively manageable to start, which the Nuggets need to take advantage of, and a home-heavy final 10 games too. Between those two stretches, we’ll learn who this team really is.