Denver Nuggets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder: A History of the Rivalry

When Do the Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets Play Next?

Oklahoma City Thunder tickets and Denver Nuggets tickets can be found on their respective team pages, along with schedule information.

Are the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Denver Nuggets Rivals?

The Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets rivalry is a newer one but it has roots that run back several decades. The Thunder franchise was established in 2008 (after they were previously the Seattle Supersonics) and placed in Denver’s division. Since then, both teams have had their ups and downs. While it isn’t the most heated rivalry in the sport, the teams do battle for supremacy in the Western Conference.

Who Are the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Biggest Rivals?

Having only been in OKC since 2008, the Thunder haven’t had a chance to build up a long-standing rivalry. The Thunder, as they stand now, likely consider the Golden State Warriors their top rival solely because Kevin Durant, the team’s star player at the time, chose to go to Golden State in free agency in 2016. The Supersonics also had a deep rivalry with the Portland Trail Blazers.

Who Are the Denver Nuggets’ Biggest Rivals?

The Denver Nuggets have a Rocky Mountain rivalry with the Utah Jazz. They are two of the three teams in the Mountain Time Zone and have been facing off for Western Conference playoff positioning for decades. The teams have met in the postseason five times with the Jazz winning three of the five. The most recent playoff series saw the Nuggets winning in 2020 in the NBA Bubble playoffs in Orlando.

The Nuggets also have rivalries with the Trail Blazers and the Los Angeles Lakers, two of their toughest Western Conference rivals. They have been on the wrong side of the all-time series against the San Antonio Spurs, losing five of seven playoff series.

Game Results Between the Nuggets & Thunder

The first contest of the season took place on October 29 with the Nuggets routing Oklahoma City, 128-95. The next games take place in Denver on December 16 and December 29. Oklahoma City hosts the final regular-season matchup on January 31, 2024.

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Denver Nuggets History

When the Thunder were the Supersonics, the teams met in the postseason three times, with Denver winning two of those three series. The Supersonics bested the Thunder in the 1978 Western Conference Finals in their first-ever run to the NBA Finals. The following year the Supersonics won the franchise’s only title.

The teams again met in the 1988 and the 1994 First Rounds with Denver taking both series. The teams didn’t meet again in the postseason until 2011 when the Thunder were in the league. Led by young stars Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden, the Thunder took care of Denver in five games, which started the best stretch in Thunder franchise history, in terms of playoff success.

The Nuggets won the NBA title in the 2022–23 season and are led by Jamal Murray and two-time MVP Nikola Jokić. The Thunder are loaded with young talent such as Chet Holmgren, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams.

Where Do the Denver Nuggets and Oklahoma City Thunder Play?

The Denver Nuggets play at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. Ball Arena is also home to the Colorado Avalanche of the NHL and the Colorado Mammoth box lacrosse team.

The Oklahoma City Thunder play at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. In addition to being home to the Thunder, Paycom is a multi-purpose venue for concerts and events.