Imagine this: the Denver Nuggets, a team often overlooked in championship conversations, are quietly positioning themselves as a force to be reckoned with in the 2025-26 NBA season. But here's where it gets controversial... While Nikola Jokić humbly labels them a 'dark horse,' the numbers tell a different story. The Nuggets are breathing down the necks of the reigning champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, as top contenders for the Larry O'Brien Trophy. And this is the part most people miss: the Northwest Division is a powder keg of talent, with the Anthony Edwards-led Minnesota Timberwolves and the rising stars of Portland and Utah ready to make some noise.
During the Nuggets' media day, Jokić playfully referred to his team as the 'silent knight' or 'dark horse,' acknowledging the Thunder's dominance but hinting at Denver's potential to surprise. 'They are definitely the hunted one and they’re playing good,' Jokić said. 'Hopefully we can be the—how do you say it?—the silent knight? Silent horse? Dark horse.'
Here’s the kicker: In the league’s annual preseason polling of general managers, three of the top four seeds in the West are expected to emerge from the Northwest Division, with only the Houston Rockets breaking the trend. Yet, all roads to the NBA title still seem to pass through Oklahoma City, where Kia MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and his teammates are far from done. 'It would suck to lose the NBA championship in 2026,' Gilgeous-Alexander bluntly stated. 'That’s the new focus. That’s the new goal.'
Gilgeous-Alexander, fresh off being named NBA Finals MVP after the Thunder’s thrilling seven-game series win over Indiana, recently brought the Larry O’Brien Trophy to his hometown of Hamilton, Ontario, where he received the key to the city. 'I couldn’t imagine as a kid the Larry O’Brien coming to Hamilton,' he reflected. 'It was special.'
So, here’s the question: Are the Nuggets truly a dark horse, or are they being underestimated? And can the Thunder defend their crown in a division packed with talent? Let us know your thoughts in the comments—this debate is far from over!
