Jokic struggled as Nuggets and Cavaliers lose season openers

The 2026-27 NBA season started with a disappointing opening for the Denver Nuggets and Cleveland Cavaliers. The Nuggets lost 96-84 to the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center. Denver led for most of the game but lost its advantage in the fourth quarter and could not put together a double-digit lead.

Serbian star Nikola Jokic made only 5 of 19 shots from the field. In 35 minutes, he finished with 13 points, seven rebounds, five assists, one block and one steal. German center Isaiah Hartenstein delivered a steady performance inside with six points and six rebounds. Belgian guard Ajay Mitchell stood out with 12 points and five steals.

In the other game, the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Cavaliers 114-106. Philadelphia trailed by 29 points in the first half but made a comeback to win. On the Cavaliers roster, Croatian forward Mario Hezonja returned to the NBA court for the first time in five years. Coming off the bench for 18 minutes, Hezonja scored 10 points, but he missed all three of his three-point attempts.

After the opening results, the Philadelphia 76ers lead the standings with two wins. In the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder also started 2-0. In each conference, the top six teams will advance directly to the playoffs, while teams seeded seventh through tenth will compete in the Play-In tournament.