Mile High Tape · Week ahead

Two Road Games in Los Angeles, One Real Deadline: Oct. 22

The preseason slows to two games this week, and both exist only to answer who is ready when the games against Oklahoma City start to count.

By the Nuggets Nightly Desk · Monday, October 12

Denver doesn't play again until Oct. 14 at the Clippers (NBA TV), then Oct. 16 at the Lakers (ESPN) - neither one a back-to-back - before the regular season opens Oct. 22 at Oklahoma City. Spencer Jones' hamstring and leg issue remains unresolved, with the Clippers game marking his estimated return.

Nuggets Nightly artwork — Illustration by Hoops Nightly.

A Pause Before the Real Test

Denver won't play again until Oct. 14, after beating the Bulls 133-128 on a night Nikola Jokic needed only 27 minutes for a triple-double - 22 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists. The Clippers come first, on the road on NBA TV; the Lakers follow two days later on ESPN. Both are preseason, and both exist mainly to finish answering a rotation question before Oct. 22 actually counts.

Why the Lakers Still Matter in October

Preseason box scores vanish fast, but this opponent doesn't lose its weight that easily. Denver lost seven straight playoff series to the Lakers before sweeping Los Angeles in the 2023 conference finals and beating them again in five games in 2024 on two Jamal Murray buzzer-beaters. A rivalry with that history is still the clearest test of whether this group's passing holds up against a defense built specifically to beat them.

Spencer Jones and the Clock

Jones has carried a hamstring and leg issue without a confirmed timeline, and the current estimate lines up with the Oct. 14 game at the Clippers. If he's ready, it resolves a wing question that's been open quietly for a week. If not, the minutes stay where they landed against Chicago, with Cameron Johnson starting at the wing and Julian Strawther leading the reserves there.

The Only Date That Counts

Nothing this week goes into a real record. Denver is 0-0 and stays that way until Oct. 22 at Oklahoma City, the team that ended last season's run in seven games. The two Los Angeles games are rehearsal for that date, not a preview of it - which is exactly why who plays well together now matters more than either final score.

When do the Nuggets play next?

Oct. 14 at the Clippers on NBA TV, then Oct. 16 at the Lakers on ESPN - both preseason, with the regular-season opener Oct. 22 at Oklahoma City.

Is Spencer Jones playing against the Clippers?

He's unresolved with a hamstring and leg issue, but the current estimate points to a return around that Oct. 14 game.

By the Nuggets Nightly Desk, written from the club's data and the reports on file, with every name and number checked against them. How the desks work.