Tip-off 9:00 p.m. ET (7:00 p.m. MT)
Venue: Ball Arena, Denver, Colorado
TV/Streaming: ALT / regional networks / NBA League Pass (restrictions may apply)
Both teams enter struggling after opening losses. The Pelicans are on the second night of a back-to-back (and third game in four nights) after a heartbreaking one-point road loss in Utah, while the Nuggets host their home opener following a low-scoring defeat at Oklahoma City. This is the first of two meetings in five days (rematch Wednesday in New Orleans).
Injury Reports
Pelicans:
Yves Missi (C, left knee) – Day-to-day / Game-time decision. Injured in the second quarter Friday when Zion Williamson landed on his leg; evaluated in Denver. He left the Jazz game and did not return.
Nuggets:
Cameron Johnson (F, right ankle sprain) – Out (injured late in first half Thursday vs. OKC).
Spencer Jones (F, bilateral hamstring injury management) – Out.
Julian Strawther (G, left knee sprain) – Out.
Alpha Diallo (F/G, right wrist sprain) – Questionable.
Denver is thin on the wing/forward depth; New Orleans may need center help if Missi sits (Derik Queen or others available).
Current Rosters & Projected Starters
New Orleans Pelicans key players (2026-27): Zion Williamson, Dejounte Murray, Trey Murphy III, Herb Jones, Yves Missi (questionable), Saddiq Bey, Bennedict Mathurin, Jordan Poole, Jeremiah Fears, Derik Queen, Trendon Watford, Karlo Matković, DeAndre Jordan, and others. Projected starters: Dejounte Murray, Trey Murphy III (or similar wing), Herb Jones, Zion Williamson, Yves Missi (or Derik Queen/backup if Missi sits). Offensive firepower centered on Williamson’s interior dominance and Murray’s playmaking, with shooting from Murphy and Bey.
Denver Nuggets key players (2026-27): Nikola Jokić, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, Christian Braun, DeMar DeRozan, Cameron Johnson (out), Marvin Bagley III, Tyus Jones, Zeke Nnaji, and others. Projected starters: Jamal Murray, Christian Braun, Aaron Gordon (or DeRozan/wing), Nikola Jokić, with DeMar DeRozan featuring prominently off the bench or in the starting group depending on matchups. Core remains Jokić-Murray-Gordon with added scoring versatility from DeRozan.
Recent Team Forms
Pelicans (0-2):
Oct. 21: L 120-123 vs. Indiana (home).
Oct. 23: L 119-120 at Utah – Zion Williamson 23 points; Saddiq Bey 20 off the bench; Dejounte Murray 16 points with late misses. Blew second-half leads in both games; competitive but unable to close. Missi exited early Friday.
Nuggets (0-1):
Oct. 22/23: L 84-96 at Oklahoma City – Extremely low-scoring outing; struggled offensively (poor shooting). Aaron Gordon among the brighter spots; Jokić and Murray held in check. Cameron Johnson limited by ankle injury. Looking to bounce back at altitude in the home opener.
New Orleans has been competitive in close losses; Denver’s offense was stagnant in the opener but benefits from home rest and altitude.
Key Player vs. Player Matchups
Nikola Jokić vs. Yves Missi / Derik Queen / frontcourt: Jokić’s elite playmaking, scoring, and rebounding against New Orleans’ young/athletic bigs. Missi’s availability is critical for rim protection and rebounding; Queen stepped up in minutes Friday.
Zion Williamson vs. Aaron Gordon / Marvin Bagley / Nuggets frontcourt: Williamson’s explosive interior scoring and physicality tested by Gordon’s versatility and Denver’s length/size.
Jamal Murray vs. Dejounte Murray / perimeter defenders: Scoring and creation battle; both Murrays can heat up from midrange and beyond.
Wings (Trey Murphy III, Herb Jones, Saddiq Bey vs. Christian Braun, DeMar DeRozan): Shooting, defense, and secondary creation. Herb Jones’ perimeter defense will be key on Murray or DeRozan.
Bench/Depth: Denver’s DeRozan scoring punch vs. New Orleans’ Mathurin/Bey/Poole scoring options. Altitude and back-to-back fatigue favor the home side late.
Denver’s star power and home advantage contrast with New Orleans’ athleticism and ability to hang in close games.
Series History
Denver has dominated recent meetings, winning the last six encounters (including a 122-116 win in New Orleans on Jan. 13, 2026; 125-118 on Nov. 19, 2025; and a 122-88 blowout in Denver on Oct. 29, 2025). Overall series leans heavily toward the Nuggets historically (roughly 29-17 or better in modern tallies). New Orleans has occasional home success but has struggled on the road against Denver.
Betting Trends
Denver has covered large spreads against New Orleans in some recent games and owns strong home form historically. Early-season totals have been high for the Pelicans (close high-scoring games) while Denver’s opener was very low. Public money often leans toward big home favorites. Models project Denver wins by roughly 10–12+ points in many cases, with totals near or under the number due to potential defensive intensity or fatigue.
Game Odds
New Orleans Pelicans 240
Denver Nuggets – 11
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Friday, October 23, 2026
