The Oklahoma City Thunder went 3-1 against the Denver Nuggets during the 2025-26 regular season. Oklahoma City won the first three meetings, 121-111, 127-121 in overtime, and 129-126, before Denver won the final matchup 127-107 on April 10, 2026.
Key Takeaways
- The Thunder won the 2025-26 regular-season series 3-1.
- Oklahoma City won three straight meetings before Denver won the fourth.
- The February 27 game went to overtime, with OKC winning 127-121.
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had several major performances in the series, including 36 points in the February overtime game.
- Denver and Oklahoma City did not meet in the 2026 NBA playoffs.
Thunder vs Nuggets 2025-26 Season Series
The Thunder vs Nuggets matchup produced four regular-season games during the 2025-26 NBA season. Oklahoma City won the first three, while Denver closed the series with a 127-107 victory in April.
Here is the complete season series:
| Date | Matchup | Result |
| Feb. 1, 2026 | Thunder at Nuggets | Thunder 121-111 |
| Feb. 27, 2026 | Nuggets at Thunder | Thunder 127-121 OT |
| Mar. 9, 2026 | Nuggets at Thunder | Thunder 129-126 |
| Apr. 10, 2026 | Thunder at Nuggets | Nuggets 127-107 |
Overall, Oklahoma City finished the season series with a 3-1 record against Denver. The Thunder averaged 121 points across the four meetings, while Denver averaged 115.5.
February 1, 2026: Thunder 121, Nuggets 111
The first meeting took place at Ball Arena in Denver. Oklahoma City led throughout the game and finished with a 121-111 victory.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 34 points and added 13 assists. Cason Wallace also delivered a major performance with a career-best 27 points, including seven three-pointers. The Thunder made 19 threes as a team.
The game also came with lineup limitations for both teams, making the result different from a fully healthy matchup. Several starters were unavailable for each side.
February 27, 2026: Thunder 127, Nuggets 121
The second meeting was much closer. Oklahoma City defeated Denver 127-121 in overtime at Paycom Center.
Gilgeous-Alexander scored 36 points in his return after missing nine games with an abdominal strain. Jamal Murray scored 39 for Denver, while Nikola Jokić recorded a triple-double that still was not enough to prevent the Thunder from winning.
The game was tied at 107 after regulation. Oklahoma City then outscored Denver 20-14 in overtime.
The contest also became heated late in the game, with multiple technical fouls and an ejection after a hard foul involving Jokić and Luguentz Dort.
March 9, 2026: Thunder 129, Nuggets 126
The third matchup was another close game, but this time Oklahoma City won without overtime.
The Thunder edged Denver 129-126 after a dramatic final minute. Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 35 points and a career-high 15 assists, then hit a step-back three-pointer with 2.7 seconds remaining to give Oklahoma City the lead for good.
The game featured 17 lead changes, showing how closely the teams matched up throughout the night.
April 10, 2026: Nuggets 127, Thunder 107
Denver avoided a four-game sweep in the final regular-season meeting.
The Nuggets won 127-107 at Ball Arena. Jonas Valančiūnas posted season highs of 23 points and 17 rebounds, while Julian Strawther added 22 points and David Roddy scored a season-high 21.
The game was unusual because Denver rested its entire starting lineup with the playoffs approaching. That makes the final score useful as part of the season-series record, but it also provides important context when comparing the four games.
Thunder vs Nuggets Head-to-Head Record
The broader regular-season history between the franchises extends well beyond the 2025-26 season.
Basketball-Reference’s Stathead lists Oklahoma City with a 110-97 regular-season head-to-head record against Denver in the historical matchup database. The teams also have 16 playoff meetings, with Oklahoma City holding an 8-8 playoff record according to that database.
Recent history has been particularly competitive. Before the 2025-26 season, the teams had also faced one another several times in important regular-season and playoff games, including their seven-game Western Conference semifinal series in 2025.
That 2025 playoff series is important context for anyone searching for Thunder vs Nuggets history, because it was much more than a normal regular-season matchup.
Key Players in the Matchup
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Gilgeous-Alexander has been one of the central figures in recent Thunder-Nuggets games.
In the 2025-26 season, he won his second consecutive Kia NBA MVP award. NBA.com reported that he averaged 31.1 points per game while helping Oklahoma City finish with the league’s best 64-18 record.
His performances against Denver included 34 points and 13 assists in February, 36 points in the overtime win later that month, and 35 points with 15 assists in the March thriller.
Nikola Jokić
Jokić remains the primary offensive hub for Denver and one of the defining players in this matchup.
He was a 2025-26 All-NBA First Team selection alongside Gilgeous-Alexander, Victor Wembanyama, Cade Cunningham, and Luka Dončić.
His ability to score, rebound, and create opportunities for teammates makes the Denver offense particularly difficult to defend. His triple-double in the February 27 meeting was another example of his all-around impact, although Oklahoma City eventually won in overtime.
Chet Holmgren and Jamal Murray
Chet Holmgren is another important part of the matchup because of his combination of size, shooting, and interior defense.
On Denver’s side, Jamal Murray provides another major scoring and playmaking option next to Jokić. Murray scored 39 points during the February 27 overtime game, giving Denver a second major scoring threat in a closely contested matchup.
The combination of star creators and complementary players is one reason these games can produce very different styles from one meeting to the next.
Did Thunder and Nuggets Meet in the 2026 Playoffs?
No. The Thunder and Nuggets did not meet during the 2026 NBA playoffs.
Oklahoma City entered the postseason as the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference and advanced to the Western Conference Finals. San Antonio defeated Oklahoma City 111-103 in Game 7 of that series to advance to the NBA Finals.
Denver also reached the 2026 playoffs but did not face Oklahoma City. The Nuggets’ six playoff games are listed in Basketball-Reference’s 2026 playoff summary.
This distinction matters because searches for Thunder vs Nuggets 2026 can refer to the regular-season games rather than a playoff series.
Why Thunder vs Nuggets Is Such an Interesting Matchup
The matchup brings together two teams with different offensive approaches and two elite playmaking centers of attention.
Oklahoma City entered the 2025-26 season as the defending NBA champion and ultimately finished the regular season with a league-best 64-18 record. Gilgeous-Alexander also won back-to-back MVP awards.
Denver, meanwhile, has built its identity around Jokić’s unique ability to combine scoring, rebounding, and passing from the center position. The Nuggets’ lineup also features Murray and other complementary offensive pieces.
The four 2025-26 meetings showed how close these teams could be. Three games were decided by 10 points or fewer, including the overtime contest and the one-possession March game.
The final April meeting was much different, partly because Denver rested its starting lineup with the playoffs approaching.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Thunder vs Nuggets season series in 2026?
The Oklahoma City Thunder won the 2025-26 regular-season series 3-1. Oklahoma City won the first three games before Denver won the final meeting 127-107 on April 10, 2026.
How many games did Thunder and Nuggets play in 2025-26?
The teams played four regular-season games. The Thunder won three, while the Nuggets won one. Their meetings took place on February 1, February 27, March 9, and April 10, 2026.
What was the highest-scoring Thunder vs Nuggets game in 2026?
The highest combined score came on March 9, when Oklahoma City defeated Denver 129-126. The two teams combined for 255 points.
Did Thunder and Nuggets play in the 2026 playoffs?
No. They did not meet in the 2026 postseason. Oklahoma City reached the Western Conference Finals, where San Antonio won the series 4-3.
Who are the main stars in Thunder vs Nuggets games?
Recent matchups have centered on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for Oklahoma City and Nikola Jokić for Denver. Chet Holmgren, Jamal Murray, and other supporting players have also played important roles in individual meetings.
Conclusion
The Thunder vs Nuggets rivalry has produced several memorable games in recent NBA seasons.
In 2025-26, Oklahoma City won the regular-season series 3-1, with three straight victories before Denver closed the season series with a 127-107 win.
The individual performances also made the matchup notable. Gilgeous-Alexander had several high-scoring games, while Jokić and Murray continued to provide Denver with a powerful combination of scoring, rebounding, and playmaking.
I’m Lydia Laughlin, founder of Punvio, where I craft clever puns, witty wordplay, and humor-filled content to make your day brighter—one laugh at a time.
