The two Western Conference teams NBA experts have deemed most likely to challenge the Oklahoma City Thunder meet in NBA Cup action on Friday, Nov. 21 to cap off the first month of the 2025-26 regular season.
The Houston Rockets host the Denver Nuggets with both teams performing like the contenders they were expected to be.
Offseason acquisition Kevin Durant is fitting in well with the Rockets (10-3), who have won 10 of 11 and are one of 10 teams in the NBA to sell out every game thus far. The Nuggets (11-3) have lost just twice since their season-opening defeat to the Warriors, and Nikola Jokić is off to a start that would put him on track to surpass his career highs in rebounds, assists and field goal percentage.
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Their matchup is the headliner during this latest batch of NBA Cup games and will be broadcast nationally on Friday, part of an early portion of the 2025-26 schedule that has seen a big increase in viewership. More than 60 million people have watched national NBA games through the first four weeks of the season, according to the league, which is the most viewers for an opening month in 15 years.
