Denver Nuggets seek revenge against Thunder as Aaron Gordon returns

denver nuggets enter the rematch with the Oklahoma City Thunder at a clear inflection point: Aaron Gordon is back in the mix and Jamal Murray is currently listed as questionable, a combination that could change the dynamic after a brutal overtime defeat.

What Happens When the Denver Nuggets have their starting five?

The last two encounters between these teams in February saw the Nuggets playing without full strength. If Jamal Murray suits up, Denver will put its whole starting roster on the floor, thanks to the return of Aaron Gordon. Gordon’s presence is presented as the key twist — his upper-echelon defensive play previously kept the team inside the top five in defensive rating with him on the court, and the rating plummeted toward the bottom when he was absent. The gap in physicality and defensive IQ with and without Gordon frames this rematch as more than a standard rivalry game: it is a test of whether personnel availability can flip recent outcomes.

• Last meeting: Nuggets lost in overtime, 127-121, after surrendering a 14-point first-half lead when the second unit gave it away.
• With Gordon: top-five defensive rating while he was on the floor (context notes this was a notable limiter on opponent scoring).
• Without Gordon: defensive rating dropped to nearly the bottom of the league.
• Availability hinge: Jamal Murray is currently listed as questionable; his status determines whether Denver fields its full starting five.

What If Nikola Jokic owns the glass and tempers flare?

Nikola Jokic remains central to how this game unfolds. In the previous overtime meeting he battled through and grabbed a large rebound total, and the matchup featured physical moments that escalated tensions—most notably a hip-check that drew a chase-down reaction. The previous incident involved Lu Dort and later an apology from Dort, but left clear residual frustration. Coaches on both sides were quizzed about that dust-up before the recent game and expressed a sense of closure; nevertheless, the matchup is expected to be physical.

Matchup context on the Thunder side indicates they may be shorthanded among their bigs, a wrinkle that could leave Jokic with more opportunities on the glass. That imbalance, combined with Jokic’s competitive posture after the prior confrontation, creates a scenario where rebounding and physical play decide the margin. The rematch is likely to resemble a postseason-style intensity and will test whether emotions remain on the court or are contained to the scoreboard.

What Comes Next for team positioning and expectations?

The larger stakes are evident in the standings context provided: the Nuggets are tied with another Western Conference team at 39-25 and sit in sixth place, only two games clear of slipping into the play-in zone. A loss here would hand Shai Gilgeous-Alexander a season head-to-head advantage over Nikola Jokic and would mark a third straight defeat to Oklahoma City this year. There is also a view expressed that individual awards are influenced by team standing; hypothetical statistical surges for Jokic across the team’s remaining games were framed as unlikely to overcome a team placement that falls short of top seeding.

For readers tracking immediate outcomes and medium-term implications, this game is a fulcrum: the combination of Aaron Gordon’s return and Jamal Murray’s questionable status creates two clear paths for the Denver Nuggets. Either the restored starting five changes defensive identity and halts the recent slide, or lingering availability issues and the Thunder’s matchups result in continued frustration and standings pressure. Prepare for a physical, strategic contest whose result will reverberate through the West and for the denver nuggets