Nuggets 2023-24 Schedule: Top Games, Championship Odds and Record Predictions

After winning the 2023 NBA championship, the Denver Nuggets are hoping to make another run at the title.

Not much has changed for the team that went 53-29 and was victorious in 16 out of 20 postseason games on its way to hoisting the Larry O'Brien Trophy for the first time in franchise history.

Two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokić will continue to lead the Nuggets alongside star point guard Jamal Murray, rising forward Michael Porter Jr. and veteran starters Aaron Gordon and Kentavius Caldwell-Pope. Denver did lose a key rotational player in Bruce Brown, but added veteran point guard Reggie Jackson and swingman Justin Holiday to maintain some depth.

Head coach Michael Malone will have the tough task of getting the Nuggets to be the first team to repeat as champions since the Golden State Warriors in 2017 and 2018. However, Denver will be a perennial contender as long as Jokić is on the roster.

Here's a look at the slate the reigning champs will be facing this season.

2023-24 Nuggets Schedule Details

Season Opener: Tuesday, Oct. 24 vs. Los Angeles Lakers

Championship Odds: +480 (bet $100 to win $480), per FanDuel

Full Schedule: NBA.com

Top Matchups

Los Angeles Lakers (First game: Oct. 24)

After getting swept in the Western Conference Finals by the Nuggets, it's safe to assume that the Los Angeles Lakers will be seeking vengeance this season.

Actually, Los Angeles head coach Darvin Ham made it clear that he's taking aim at Denver after Malone was dubbed "the Lakers' daddy" during the Nuggets' championship parade. As far as Ham is concerned, "This s--t ain't over."

The Lakers reloaded this offseason by retaining their key young players while also adding depth across the roster. Los Angeles re-signed Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and D'Angelo Russell and added a slew of new faces like Gabe Vincent, Taurean Prince, Cam Reddish and Jaxson Hayes.

All of those players should help support star big man Anthony Davis and the legendary LeBron James as he embarks on his 21st season.

The Lakers will surely be motivated to exorcise those playoff demons, so the Nuggets will have to be ready to match their intensity in each of their three meetings.

Philadelphia 76ers (First game: Jan. 16)

When the two best big men in the NBA face off, it will be appointment viewing every time.

Jokić and Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid lay claim to each of the last three NBA MVP awards, with Embiid finally breaking through last season after finishing second to Jokic in each of the previous two years.

While the Nuggets star has maintained that he doesn't care about individual awards, there's a chance he's peeved about not getting the chance to three-peat as MVP. There's also a chance that Embiid feels his win was overshadowed by Jokic winning his first championship.

The Sixers have virtually the same core around Embiid. Star guard James Harden requested to be traded after exercising his player option for this season, but that hasn't happened. Philadelphia is expecting Tyrese Maxey to continue his steady improvement as he enters his fourth year.

Embiid has yet to prove he can lead a team to a title, falling in the conference semifinals in each of the last three years. Seeing Jokić achieve the ultimate goal last year should motivate him, which could create some intense games when they meet twice this year.

Season Forecast

The Nuggets likely will be among the top contenders for a title once again, but the path to repeating as champions will not be easy.

The Western Conference is loaded with hungry teams ready to chase a ring, and the Eastern Conference is as talented as ever.

Denver's lack of moves this offseason could come back to haunt the team. Brown was a key member of the rotation thanks to his defense and his ability to be a secondary ball-handler. Jackson is a capable backup point guard, but he has never been known for his defense.

Still, the rest of the band is still together. Jokić, Murray and Porter can be a vaunted Big Three in the NBA if the latter of the three makes a jump to stardom. Gordon and Caldwell-Pope bring championship experience and a sense of familiarity to the starting lineup. Christian Braun will assume a more significant role after a promising rookie season.

The rest of the NBA might have closed the gap, but that shouldn't stop Denver from having another successful season. However, a run to the NBA Finals will not come easily.