The New Orleans Pelicans and Denver Nuggets both enter Saturday night still searching for their first win of the season. The Pelicans at Nuggets matchup tips off at 9 p.m. ET at Ball Arena in Denver, with both clubs sitting at 0-1 and coming off losses in their most recent outings. New Orleans fell to the Indiana Pacers 123-120 on Wednesday, while Denver dropped a 96-84 decision at Oklahoma City on Friday.
Neither team has found its footing early in the 2026-27 season, and Saturday marks the first meeting between the two clubs this year. The Nuggets sit 1.5 games back in the Northwest Division, and the Pelicans are a game back in the Southwest, making this an early measuring stick for two teams looking to right the ship.
Pelicans Vs Nuggets Game Information
- Date: Saturday, Oct. 24
- Time: 9 p.m. ET
- Venue: Ball Arena, Denver, CO
- TV/Streaming: NBA League Pass, GCSEN, Pelicans.com
- Series: First meeting of the 2026-27 season
Pelicans Outlook
New Orleans has shown offensive firepower through its first two games, scoring 120.0 points per contest on 42.7% shooting from the field. Dejounte Murray leads the Pelicans with 23.0 points and 7.0 assists per game, while Yves Missi has been a two-way force with 13.0 points, 14.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 2.0 steals and 3.0 blocks per game.
The Pelicans have also protected the ball well, averaging just 14.0 turnovers compared to 23.0 assists, a ratio that has kept their offense humming even in a loss to Indiana. New Orleans split its first four games before falling to the Pacers 123-120 on Oct. 22, a game that closed out a stretch in which the Pelicans won three of four.
Missi is expected to anchor the frontcourt again after his strong rebounding and shot-blocking numbers through the early slate, and Murray projects as the primary ball handler and scoring option against a Denver defense that has struggled to contain opposing offenses.
Nuggets Outlook
Denver has had the opposite problem, averaging just 84.0 points per game on 37.8% shooting and a 26.7% clip from three-point range through its first game logged in the season totals. Aaron Gordon leads the team with 20.0 points per game, and Nikola Jokic paces Denver in assists at 5.0 per game.
The Nuggets are also dealing with a thin frontcourt rotation. Cameron Johnson (right ankle sprain) and Spencer Jones (hamstring) are both listed as out with a projected return date of Oct. 26, while Julian Strawther (left knee sprain) is out with a longer return date of Nov. 29. Alpha Diallo is listed as day-to-day with a right wrist issue and has a projected return date of Oct. 24, making his availability for Saturday uncertain.
Denver turned the ball over 22.0 times per game to start the season, a number that will need to come down against a Pelicans team that forces turnovers at a high rate. The Nuggets have dropped two of their last three games, including a 96-84 loss at Oklahoma City on Friday that snapped any momentum from an earlier three-game run.
Key Matchup
New Orleans’ ball control against Denver’s turnover-prone offense could decide this game. The Pelicans average 11.0 steals per game and have forced miscues at a rate that Denver, with 22.0 turnovers per game, has not yet solved. If Denver’s shorthanded frontcourt cannot clean up its possessions, New Orleans projects to get easy transition opportunities off Murray and Missi.
On the other end, Denver’s interior size, led by Jokic, will be tested by Missi’s rebounding. Missi has pulled down 14.0 boards per game to start the year, and with Johnson, Jones and Strawther all out for Denver, the Nuggets’ depth up front is limited heading into Saturday.
What To Watch
Both teams are looking to avoid an 0-2 start in a season that is already shaping up to be competitive in both the Southwest and Northwest divisions. New Orleans sits a game back of first-place Memphis and Houston in the Southwest, while Denver trails Oklahoma City by 1.5 games in the Northwest.
With Denver’s injury report showing multiple forwards unavailable, how the Nuggets fill minutes up front against a Pelicans team playing fast and loose offensively will be worth tracking throughout Saturday’s game.
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