Denver Nuggets All-Star Nikola Jokic stole the show during preseason highlights and addressed the champion Oklahoma City Thunder being favored in the Western Conference. Jokic and the Nuggets were the only Western Conference team to push the Thunder to the brink of elimination in their competitive semifinals series last season. Denver made offseason tweaks, which should improve its roster.
While the Nuggets are already considered to be one of the top teams in the Western Conference alongside the Thunder and the Houston Rockets, Jokic joked that the Nuggets will be the league's dark horse, he said, per the Denver Post's Bennett Durando.
“Hopefully we can be the silent — how do you say it? — the silent knight,” Jokic said. “Silent horse. Dark horse.”
The Nuggets' busy summer included signing veteran Jonas Valanciunas, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Bruce Brown, who helped Denver win the 2023 NBA Finals. The Nuggets also traded forward Michael Porter Jr. to the Brooklyn Nets for Cameron Johnson. Denver could get its rematch against the defending champions in 2026.
Nikola Jokic vows to save Nuggets' Bruce Brown's career
Nuggets All-Star Nikola Jokic has been in a comical mood throughout the preseason in preparation for the 2025-26 campaign. Before joking about trying to be a top team, Jokic joked about the Nuggets bringing Bruce Brown back during the offseason.
Brown reminds Jokic of the Nuggets' 2023 championship, and Jokic jokes about needing to save Brown's career now that he's back with the Nuggets.
“Bruce [Brown] is back. We won with him. Need to save his career again,” Jokic said.
After winning a ring with the Nuggets, Brown signed with the Pacers and appeared in 33 games before being traded to the Raptors as part of the Pascal Siakam deal. Brown started last season with the Raptors before being traded to the New Orleans Pelicans as part of the Brandon Ingram deal.
Ahead of the upcoming season, Brown admits he regrets leaving the Nuggets, he said at Media Day, per Raptors reporter Kayla Grey.
“I went to Indy. I finally chose where I could go, and three months in, they trade me, and I'm like, ‘where the f*** did I go? I could have stayed in Denver and been happy in Toronto,” Brown said.”
Jokic, Brown, and the Nuggets will face the Clippers on Sunday.
